WHEREAS, Tara Funches of Triangle, a longtime employee of Prince William County Public Schools, received the 2023 School Social Worker of the Year award from the Virginia Association of School Social Workers; and

WHEREAS, Tara Funches holds degrees from Hampton University and the University of Pennsylvania; she began her career as a mobile therapist for foster care cases in Pennsylvania and later worked as an intake coordinator and clinical social worker at a learning center in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Tara Funches joined Prince William County Public Schools as a school social worker in 1999; over the course of her career, she has provided counseling to students related to social, emotional, and mental health issues, facilitated group counseling, conducted home visits and built strong relationships with families, organized college tours, developed after-school enrichment programs, and provided support for at-risk students and special education students; and

WHEREAS, since 2022, Tara Funches has also served as a community outreach coordinator at Graham Park Middle School and has developed partnerships with local organizations to provide resources and address student needs; and

WHEREAS, highly respected in the field of social work, Tara Funches has been a member of the Virginia Association of School Social Workers for many years and serves as co-chair of the association's Northern region; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Tara Funches hereby be commended for receiving the 2023 School Social Worker of the Year award from the Virginia Association of School Social Workers; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Tara Funches as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for her accomplishments in the field of school social work and contributions to the Prince William County community.