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Carter County Schools has been named School District of the Year by Project RAISE (Rural Access to Interventions in School Environments), a statewide initiative to improve mental health services in rural schools.

Project RAISE focuses on increasing the number of school-based mental health professionals by funding internships, stipends and relocation grants to support roles such as school psychologists, counselors and social workers.

In addition to the district honor, Traci Ward, student support coordinator at Unaka High School, was named Social Worker of the Year.