By: Melody Ann Wallace
As we celebrate another graduating class of seniors, we would be remiss if we didn’t take the time to thank those that have, not only, planted the seeds, but watered, fed, and tended to them as they grew. Chances are, at some point between kindergarten and high school, you can recall at least one teacher that made a significant impact in your life or in the life of your child. We are so blessed in our area that, regardless of private or public, city or county; we have a wealth of caring and experienced educators to care for our children.
In Daviess County…
Melanie Duckwall
Upon entering Melanie Duckwall’s fourth grade classroom at East View Elementary School, one might be surprised to find 26 young boys working in different areas about the room. These young gentlemen refer to themselves as the “Duckwall Dudes.” This year the third grade teachers at East View looped, or followed, their students to fourth grade. In hopes of increasing motivation and building interest in reading and writing, three different classes were created: one of all males, one of all females, and one of mixed gender. Mrs. Duckwall volunteered to teach the boys’ class because, after seventeen years in the classroom, she still welcomes a challenge. Although Mrs. Duckwall comes from a family of educators, she never felt that becoming a teacher was an expectation growing up. She does believe, however, that, “This is my specialty…this is my passion…this is what I do (as well as being a mother and a wife).”
From day one of fourth grade, it was obvious that Mrs. Duckwall’s outside-of-the-box creativity was just what “the dudes” needed. The first week of school, the boys could be found reading outside in various tents. Once a month the boys participate in “man chats,” in which a male member of the community comes in and speaks about the importance of taking leadership and being a positive male role model. The speakers have included insurance agents, physicians, retired baseball players, the DCHS football team, as well as several others. After some discussion, the boys then ask their visitors some of the questions they have prepared using the 7 Habits (of Highly Effective People). On Fridays they use the answers that they have recorded using Lotus note-taking software and write thank you notes to their guest speakers. As an educator in one of several Leader in Me schools in our district, Mrs. Duckwall is “a huge believer in the Leader in Me program.” Through The Leader in Me, the students have created their own mission statement and response march, are taught to act like gentlemen, respect others, hold open doors, and that chivalry is still a necessary character trait in respectable young men. The “dudes” had an opportunity to demonstrate these skills this past February when Mrs. Duckwall arranged (through tremendous parent, community, and DCPS Foundation support) for the boys to attend the Blue Man group concert at the RiverPark Center, after dining at Fetta Specialty Pizza in downtown Owensboro. The boys were encouraged to dress nicely and demonstrate the manners and character qualities that they had learned in the classroom and through their weekly lunch meetings.
Although Mrs. Duckwall is a dedicated and outstanding educator inside the classroom, she also continues to shine outside the classroom as well. Besides being an active member of the Lighthouse Committee, assisting with courtyard clean-up, and serving as a resource teacher mentoring student interns for the last 15 years, she also oversees the “Girls Can Do” afterschool program twice a month, where girls create crafts and complete community service projects. One thing is for certain, thanks to Mrs. Duckwall and her humble and faithful commitment to her students, we will have a community of upstanding young men to look forward to in the future.
Melissa Jackson
When encountering the contagious smile and positive attitude of DCMS Special Education teacher Melissa Jackson, one would never imagine that she co-teaches with ten different teachers on three different grade levels, while also preparing for a resource classroom of her own. While some teachers may find the task daunting, Melissa says, “I really enjoy co-teaching and being able to interact with other teachers in the building. I get so many ideas…and I can take all of that with me.” Growing up with a brother that was two years younger and had Down Syndrome, Melissa always knew that she wanted to be a Special Education teacher. She has always believed in helping students “meet their abilities, rather than their disabilities” and in “helping students that have difficulties find where their strengths are.” Mrs. Jackson’s strongest asset is her incredible ability to build relationships with students and find what peaks their interests. By taking into account all of her students’ strengths and abilities, Mrs. Jackson is able to better motivate her students and help them to achieve at a higher level.
Recently, all of the students in the seventh grade were reading and learning about William Shakespeare. Rather than assuming the material may be too difficult for her students, Mrs. Jackson drew from what she knew about each student and presented the material in such a way that it would be both appealing and motivational to them. She decided to have the students read Shakespeare as a performance and invite staff members to serve as a live audience. Students were seated at the door to collect “tickets” that had been distributed, costumes were carefully designed and coordinated, and student-made props adorned the floor and blackboard, as the room was transformed into a riveting scene from Romeo and Juliet. The students beamed as they read and acted out the words aloud and demonstrated a true understanding for the words of Shakespeare.
Learning by doing is just one of the many tools Mrs. Jackson has acquired over her nine years of teaching. Through the use of such techniques as modeling and gradual release, Mrs. Jackson helps students grasp a better understanding of the content; while incorporating student jobs (through the Leader in Me), providing the focus that some students need to stay on task. When asked about her motivation to come to school every day amidst a mound of paperwork and a chaotic schedule, she very happily replied, “I love it” and “I truly feel like I work at the best place in the world. Everyone at DCMS truly cares about kids.”
In Owensboro City Schools…
Kristie McCarty
After teaching kindergarten for five years, Estes teacher Kristie McCarty is now teaching fourth grade. She speaks fondly of the transition, as she still receives “a thousand hugs a day from former kindergarten students.” Kristie always knew that she wanted to be a teacher and some days still feels a little “star struck,” as she continues to realize that her dreams of being a teacher have now become reality. Mrs. McCarty is also in the process of completing her Master’s degree in counseling, a newly discovered passion. She truly feels that it is “one of the best decisions I’ve made in my education,” as she draws daily from the strategies she has acquired and thoughtfully incorporates them into her classroom. Aside from truly having a love for children, Mrs. McCarty finds great joy in being “that one adult in their life (that students have) to talk to.” She has been able to create a climate in her classroom where students feel safe sharing their feelings both verbally and through written journal entries. However, what truly makes Mrs. McCarty an inspiration to students and teachers alike is that she not only, “takes their school life into consideration, but what life is like after 3:00 p.m.”
Mrs. McCarty has also taught her students incredibly valuable character lessons that they can take out into the world around them. Four years ago, through the ABC Program, Mrs. McCarty formed The Green Machines, with her kindergarten class. Through this group she has taught her students not only to be “recycle friendly,” but conservative with resources as well. The students are not only responsible for collecting and categorizing paper and plastic, but they also visit classrooms during lunch time to make sure all lights have been turned off in order to save on electricity. Through their recycling efforts, The Green Machines, have collected enough barrels of bottle caps to have four benches built for the school, and have enough currently to create two more benches. Not only have Mrs. McCarty’s students learned how to treat their environment, but they have also learned how to treat others as well. Believing in the “positivity of her students,” one of the most valuable lessons Mrs. McCarty has taught them is that when giving someone a compliment it should be genuine and come from the heart. She lovingly reminds them that, “A compliment can be thrown away, but a character compliment can usually last a lifetime.”
Vic Harrison
As we reflect back on the teachers that have made an impact on our lives, we must also remember those that have added resonance and color to it. After 15 years in full-time music ministry, Sutton Elementary music teacher, Vic Harrison, now uses his gifts to find new ways for students to experience the elements of music. By drawing from his ability and desire to write music, Mr. Harrison is able to add to the curriculum and enjoyment of all students ages kindergarten through fourth grade. He begins establishing a relationship of mutual trust with his students from the first day of school by using such techniques with the kindergartners as rolling a ball to them as they reciprocate with singing their name. He truly “loves to use things that are not musical to break the ice.” Drawing upon these established relationships, Mr. Harrison has the students help write a kindergarten musical based on the Aesop Fable: The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey. In order to assist the second graders in learning rhythm and memorizing lines of poetry, Mr. Harrison writes songs to go along with the poems the students are learning in language arts. During testing week, his raps can be seen on the school news to encourage and motivate students to do their best.
By far one of Mr. Harrison’s proudest accomplishments came about when he used his musical gifts and talents to fulfill a need that he recognized in the classroom. While it is part of the standard curriculum to teach the days of the week to kindergartners, Mr. Harrison saw a need for a song that taught the days of the weeks in Spanish. He created a “jingle-type song” entitled “Celebrar el Dia,” or “Celebrate the Day.” The chorus of the song joyfully reveals its theme, “each day is a gift, open it with joy.” After hearing the song performed at full length with percussion and chorus at the Spring Arts Festival, Tom Stites recommended the song to Dr. Henry Lecht during a professional development workshop. Dr. Lecht was so pleased with the piece that he had it published through his Creating Artistry series and it can now be purchased in sheet music. The students at Sutton are blessed to have Mr. Harrison to celebrate their days with.
In Owensboro Catholic Schools…
Carolyn Taylor
It is the dream of most teachers to spend the majority of their career in one school so that they will be there to welcome past students when they stop by for a visit. Carolyn Taylor has been teaching in the Catholic School System for 40 years, 38 of which have been at Owensboro Catholic at the K-3 Campus. After 38 years, and witnessing many changes in education, she still feels that “second grade is the best grade you can teach (because) they know how to do school.” Amazingly, Mrs. Taylor still comes to school each day with new ideas to incorporate into her classroom and share with her teammates. A teacher who has never liked “to do the same thing over again,” Mrs. Taylor fuses traditional teaching methods with technology resources such as Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers, in order to create and inspire new ideas in the classroom. Principal Lori Whitehouse says of Mrs. Taylor, that she is a teacher that has a “wealth of experience,” yet still “keeps herself up to date.” Mrs. Whitehouse went on to say that she is a teacher that “finds the good in everything” and “helps other teachers to find good in the students and in themselves.”
There could be no more powerful example of that than the way Mrs. Taylor has served as a model of grace and inspiration over the last 13 years, following her husband’s diagnosis with leukemia. Although he has been cancer-free since a stem cell procedure in 2013, the residual effects from the chemotherapy and radiation still present challenges, as they have no idea upon waking what the day will hold. Through it all, the transfusions, the rough days, the multiple trips to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Mrs. Taylor has found strength in teaching and in the prayers and support of parents and co-workers. She takes great solace in being able to share her faith with her students and talk openly with them about trusting God in all circumstances. Mrs. Whitehouse and the rest of the staff are truly inspired by the fact that “no matter what goes on, (Mrs. Taylor) always comes to school with a smile on her face” and “is the teacher that is the wind beneath the wings for everyone else.” When asked if retirement was anywhere in her future, she said with a humble laugh, “Oh, I have to go to school.” As far as how much longer Mrs. Taylor will continue to inspire and strengthen our students and those around her, she only had this to say, “As long as my legs will carry me in, I guess.”
Neil Corley
At Owensboro Catholic High School, Neil Corley offers a fresh and engaging perspective to freshman science and senior anatomy and physiology. After 20 years of teaching experience, Mr. Corley still remembers the struggles he met in trying to grasp certain concepts in high school. He draws from that personal experience in order to appeal to his students and “find a different way to get (the information) across.” Always the humble advisor, Mr. Corley says, “I don’t think I do more than any other teacher,” he just recognizes and appreciates that not all students think and process information in the same way. Mr. Corley uses his love of students and science to engage them in research of common diseases their families may have had experience with. He is constantly searching for new ways to integrate technology into the classroom, through internet research, video clips, or YouTube videos. By far, one of the most unique experiences he offered his students was the opportunity to perform a virtual knee surgery, including making the incisions and suturing the site. He commends his students for their “great work ethic,” as many of them are eager to learn in preparation for future careers in nursing and medical-related fields.
Although Mr. Corley is currently the Assistant Academic Team Coach, he is best known for his excellence in coaching (baseball, football, and golf) and positive relationships with students on and off the field. Several years ago, Mr. Corley found himself in the same position as so many other teachers trying to perfect the balance of work and family life. With two young daughters at home, he found that he “hated to give up on any kids,” but sometimes you have to “put your family first.” He now uses his love of sports in the classroom to relate to his students on such topics as eating, training, and treatment of injury. Although he still misses coaching and the interactions with the players during practices, each time he looks at those sweet little girls, he knows he made the right decision.