Chattanooga, TN— This School Counselor Appreciation Week, we are proud to spotlight Hannah Mallott, school counselor at Lookout Valley Elementary School, who supports students with a focus on confidence, connection, and care.
Originally from Kingsport, Tennessee, Mallott earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and graduate degree in school counseling from Lee University. She began college on a pre-med track, but soon discovered a passion for mental health. “I switched to psychology as a different form of taking care of people,” Mallott shared. “Instead of meeting physical, bodily needs, I went the mental health route as another way of serving.”
School counseling felt especially meaningful to Mallott because it allowed her to be a consistent support for students. “I didn’t really have a very formative experience with a school counselor growing up,” she said. “So I wanted to be that support person for these students.”
Now in her fourth year at Lookout Valley Elementary, no two days look the same. She often begins her mornings checking in with individual students before teaching several classroom lessons. Her lessons focus on topics such as mindfulness, goal setting, emotion regulation, self-awareness, organization, and postsecondary and career exploration. She also leads small groups and book clubs centered on emotional growth and self-confidence, often pairing social-emotional learning with academic skill-building.
For Mallott, one of the most rewarding parts of her work has been seeing the impact of Lookout Valley’s peer mentor program, where selected fourth and fifth-graders are paired with younger students. “Seeing the impact that has on the younger learners, and the leadership skills the older students get, it has been really neat,” she said. “That connection with an older kid that isn’t necessarily an adult is so impactful. It gives our older friends some leadership opportunities and for the younger kids, it’s a part of their day they really look forward to.” The relationships often extend beyond scheduled time, with students greeting one another in the halls and on the playground.
Building trust and confidence is central to Mallott’s approach.
“Being a consistent person in their life, on good days and bad days, is a huge part of that.”
Her goal is to help students recognize their own worth. “A huge thing for me is getting our students to a place where they are confident enough to see their own value,” Mallott said. “Encouraging them to see their own strengths really informs so many other life choices.”
Mallott is especially proud of the strong relationships she has built with families and the community. “I’m most proud of helping be a better bridge between families and some of our community partners,” she said. One accomplishment she holds close is helping establish a clothing closet and laundry resources through a partnership with First Baptist Chattanooga.
Looking ahead, Hannah Mallott hopes to continue strengthening programming that highlights social-emotional learning and puts students first. For her students, she hopes they continue growing “not only academically, but emotionally and relationally.” Most of all, she wants every child to leave her office knowing they are valued, supported, and never alone. “As they move on to middle school, I hope they remember me as someone who was in their corner. And hopefully they make many, many more of those connections throughout their life.”
Thank you, Hannah, for your dedication, compassion, and support to the students of Lookout Valley Elementary! Your impact is felt every day!
