Standout Spartan: Crystal Hamlin

Congratulations to Middle/Upper School Librarian Crystal Hamlin, who was recently chosen to serve a two-year term for the American Association of School Librarians. Ms. Hamlin will serve on AASL’s School Library Event Promotion Committee. 

She was thrilled to learn that the two-year term will task her with marketing libraries — “something that is vital to my job at Steward,” she said. “I have volunteered on the communications team for VAASL for the past five years, working on their website, writing a bimonthly newsletter, and crafting social media posts. Being a member of the Library Event Promotion Committee will allow me to tap into my creative side and team up to make promotional materials for use in libraries nationwide!” 

Ms. Hamlin is also the recipient of the Margaret Rutherford Memorial Award, which she applied for through the VA Association of School Librarians (VAASL) last spring. The award is presented to a VAASL member in active service and includes a commemorative plaque, plus a monetary gift to be used for professional development. 

“As a school librarian, I love to learn, of course,” said Ms. Hamlin. “So far in my career, I have focused on school librarian-specific professional development. I hope to use the award money to broaden my horizons outside of school librarianship.” She looks forward to attending conferences, including the 2026 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) conference, which will be held in November in Philadelphia. 

“This year’s NCTE keynote speakers are LeVar Burton, Misty Copeland, Margaret Atwood, and Tomi Adeyemi,” she said excitedly. “Hearing from them and networking with colleagues across the country will help me gain new perspectives that I can share with Steward students and faculty!”