Many don’t know the backbone behind SCHS students and staff. Recently this year, Katherine Banister joined St. Charles High as the new social worker. She was thrilled to take on the job and is ready for the year as school goes on. 

Banister has worked in the district for a couple of years now. She’s been a part of Hardin, as well as Coverdell, Null and Harris. This will be her first time working with the high school. 

“I’m excited to get to be with all of you guys,” Banister said.

Banister has always found a love for aiding others. She’s partaken in the role of a caretaker before, even entering the position of a social worker. 

“I worked at summer camps for a long time, so I always like loved working with people and helping people in general,” Banister said. 

Since then, she has stayed consistent with that passion. Her day-to-day work as a social worker usually consists of a counselor seeing a kid who is struggling and looking for someone who can support them in their time of need multiple times a week. 

“That’s kind of where social work comes in,” Banister said.  “Helping people who have certain barriers that make it not so easy to either get food, clothes, mental health support.”

Though her time as a social worker leads more towards helping kids, the job of a social worker can be very versatile. Social workers can be seen working in hospitals and homeless shelters as well. The core of the job revolves around helping citizens around the community feel welcomed and heard. 

“I think that whether someone struggles kind of ongoing with like anxiety or we just have a hard time, we all need to help each other out,” Banister said.