Meet Bryant from the LCC Class of 2022
Kristy Bryant is a native Coshoctonian whose family has been living in the county for many generations. A 1991 graduate of Coshocton High School, Bryant was involved in choir and many other clubs including Key Club. Following graduation, she attended COTC in Newark before transferring to Muskingum Area Technical College, where she studied mental health.Bryant earned her associate degree in mental health from MATC in 1995 and married Jason Bryant in 1997.
Bryant began her career in mental health with Six County Inc. as a partial hospitalization therapist working with support groups for individuals of a specific demographic — for example, senior citizens — who needed mental-health services but were not so severe as to be hospitalized.
Once her first child Zachary was born, Bryant transitioned to life as a stay-at-home mom. Her passion has always been to serve children and God, so she merged the two working in youth ministry: first with the Nazarene Church and most recently with New Pointe Community Church.
After her youngest son Zane started school, Bryant returned to part-time employment. She worked contractually for Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices, teaching life skills county-wide to fifth- and sixth-graders. She then began work in the Coshocton City School District as the McKinney-Vento homelessness coordinator. This federally mandated program seeks to ensure every child in every school system has the same educational experience at school, regardless of their living situation.
In this capacity Bryant focused on students living in or facing homelessness to receive services necessary to succeed in school. Currently, she is employed by Allwell Behavioral Health as a PAX partner. The PAX GBG Program is a classroom-management tool for educators to guide children in the classroom toward better self-regulation.
Rather than working directly with the students, Bryant is an asset to the teachers, providing them with tools, tips and training to successfully encourage their students to achieve appropriate classroom behavior in a nonthreatening manner. Each classroom sets a “vision” for an agreed-upon set of “rules” for all to follow. From this, students and teachers are encouraged to provide positive feedback or “Tootles” that create a welcoming and encouraging learning environment.
Bryant has been in this position for nearly two years and is now seeing positive outcomes. Her year during remote learning was difficult to build the rapport with educators necessary to put the program into play. The goal of the program is to create an internal PAX team that will take over the continued institution of the program within the school.
In addition to her volunteer work in children’s ministry, Bryant was involved with PTO when her sons were in elementary school. “I volunteer where I am able, when I am able. I try to be a role model for the youth,” she said.
Bryant had heard about the program from her husband Jason, a 2011 graduate, and sister-in-law Renee Fleming, a 2004 graduate. When her son Zane was accepted in Coshocton County Youth Leadership, she began to think about participating more seriously and decided to apply.
Bryant wants to learn more about the community, how it works and where she can be of help. She said she is enjoying the personal-development piece of the program and looks to help with program days in the future.
A cheerleader for Coshocton, Bryant said she is excited for the community and the different things happening. She is appreciative of the work of Tiffany Swigert and the port authority, as well as Jason and Carly Thompson. “They’re doing great things with the community, their energy and what they’re doing for Main Street,” she said.
Bryant said she is excited for what’s to come with downtown. “We live in a very caring community, which is why we didn’t move — the community outreach, helping each other. This is a very giving, very supportive community,” she said.
To make the county stronger, Bryant would like to see more education in areas where negativity is present. She said community members need to know the what/why/how to help. “To be stronger, you have to help,” she said.
Bryant also thinks less duplication of services and more areas of cooperation, “working together to make it happen,” would be beneficial. She said less talk and more action is needed.
Bryant would recommend Leadership Coshocton for others to learn about the community and learn about themselves. She said it helps with understanding your personality type and leadership style and how to utilize those to work with others who aren’t like you.
Category: People & Places
