Nancy Reyes, center, receives her $500 check as Staff Member of the Year at Bob Jones High School. Congratulating Reyes are, from left, Judy Warmath, Dr. Dee Fowler, Dr. Camille Wright and Robby Parker. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Nancy Reyes has been recognized as Staff Member of the Year at Bob Jones High School.

Reyes works as school secretary and handles Principal Robby Parker’s calls and parents’ questions and concerns before appointments about their children. She also processes payroll for Bob Jones’ 185 employees, helps seniors with graduation supplies and works with office aides.

“I love getting to know the students on a one-on-one basis,” Reyes said. “This year, I had the opportunity to be with Seth Parker who I’ve know since he was in second grade. It was great … to watch him and other students transition into young adults and prepare for college life.”

Reyes enjoys getting to know the teachers, especially newcomers each year. She talks with teachers when they visit Robby Parker.

Witnessing teachers and students enduring difficulties, she “loves … telling them that God has a purpose and plan for their life. Believe it or not, things will get better,” Reyes said.

A major task for Reyes is encouraging students. “Sometimes, high school life for teenagers can be overwhelming — trying to juggle school, sports and their social life. You’ll be surprised how a smile and a kind word go a long way, even for a teenager.”

In 2001, Reyes started working at Discovery Middle School and transferred to Bob Jones in 2005.

A native New Yorker, she relocated to Alabama with her husband’s job at Redstone Arsenal. “It’s hard to believe that in thee years I will have lived in Alabama as long as in New York,” she said.

Her husband Ed retired from the U.S. Army and now works as an army security specialist. Their sons are Timothy, 27, youth pastor at The Rock; Justin, 25, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.; and Edwin, 21, a baseball player at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Her daughters-in-laws are Candace and Rachel Reyes.

“My pride and joy are being a grandmother to Otto, Emery and Brooklyn, just one month old,” Nancy said.