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A Newberry native and former school employee has received a top award from school administrators.

Now Dena Chatfield is helping other children and was recently recognized for her work as she was named the 2012 Middle School Assistant Principal of the year by the S.C. Association of School Administrators.

Chatfield currently serves as assistant principal at Myrtle Beach Middle but has previously served at Gallman, Little Mountain, Pomaria-Garmany and Mid-Carolina Middle.

“I am proud of my hometown and my upbringing in Newberry,” says Chatfield, “The values and beliefs that my family instilled in me have been instrumental in my career. I always try to treat every child as if he or she were my own. My mother always told me, ‘Remember, to someone that child is the most precious thing in the world.’”

Chatfield attended Newberry Elementary through Newberry High and later went on to graduate from Newberry College.

Her first teaching position was at Gallman as a fifth grade teacher. She was also a school counselor at Little Mountain, Pomaria-Garmany and her last position was as a counselor at Mid-Carolina Middle.

“During those years I had the pleasure of working alongside and learning from some of the best educators in our state,” says Chatfield.

Chatfield now lives in Myrtle Beach with her husband, Jim and 15-year-old son, Matt who plays football.