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Recently, an honorary Panther received a high honor for her service to the Lanett City Schools in the form of the 2024 AASB All-State School Board Award. Gwen Harris-Brooks was honored this year after 25 years serving on the school board.

“When I heard about it, this is the highest award that a school board member can get, and I was just overjoyed that they thought enough of me to nominate me for that position as a leader,” Harris-Brooks said.

The Lanett native began her career working at West Point Stevens as well as teaching Adult Education at West Georgia Technical School. Her time at West Georgia was special to her, she said, because “they were there for a reason, and it made me be feel joyful that I could help them achieve that goal.”

“I wanted to see our children succeed, and I wanted to be the one that helped make rules, regulations and suggestions as to what would help our children,” Harris-Brooks said.

Not only has she had a decades-long career on the LCS board but Harris-Brooks also served as director of District 4 for the Alabama Association of School Boards from 2013 to 2022. While there, she traveled around the country from places like Atlanta all the way to Washington for conferences.

The opportunity gave her a lot of experience in leadership as well.

“It was just different things that I learned from serving on the executive board that I could bring back to Lanett,” she said.

Over the years of her time on the board, a lot has changed. For one thing, campus security has become a bigger concern. Today, both WO Lance Elementary and Lanett High School have locked doors, school resource officers and the high school recently got metal detectors for its sporting events.

When she first joined the school board, Harris-Brooks said one of the first big milestones was getting school buses for the students.

“When I went on the board, the children were walking to school,” she recalled.

Another milestone was the naming of WO Lance. The name honors Lance for “his achievements as a superintendent, principal and superintendent at Lanett.” Another esteemed name in Lanett City School’s history can be found at its stadium, Morgan Washburn Football Stadium.

Harris-Brooks said they hope to soon name the field itself after another hugely influential sports coach, Coach Clifford Story.

“Because he’s also been a historic coach,” she said.

Over the years, education has always been at the forefront of Harris-Brooks’ focus.

“Our kids are steadily making achievements. We can see improvements each year, and that in itself, makes me feel good that we got people in place that can do these things,” Harris-Brooks said.

LCS board recently welcomed two new school board members in Johnny Wood, former Lanett Police Chief, and Myron Fears, a Montgomery County School System teacher. Harris-Brooks said they are both awesome. When asked she said her advice to them would be to remember to listen to their superintendent, and if they have any questions, they should call her.

“We’ve always had everything running smooth. We don’t have midnight board meetings,” Harris-Brooks said. “When you get your board packet, you read over it. If you’ve got a problem, call me or call the superintendent. So when we bring it before the public, we are of one accord.”