Teachers Are Our Heroes! National Education Week – 2005 Teacher Support Project November 13-19, 2005 Who was your favorite teacher and why? Did a particular teacher positively influence your life and if so, who and how? Constitutional Officers Mark Sanford Mark Hammond Governor Secretary of State “Greetings. On behalf of “I have nothing but fond South Carolina, I am memories of the sixth grade pleased to join you in and Mrs. Lowman at Lincoln celebrating National Middle School in Education Week through Spartanburg. It was 1976, ‘Teachers: Moving South our country’s Bicentennial Carolina to the Top.’ Good teachers can make year, when we discussed the tremendous all the difference in student performance and impact our founding fathers had on this attitude by providing an atmosphere that country and the challenges they faced forming encourages students to excel. When I look back a new nation. The class enjoyed the discussion on my own education, I still remember fondly so much that Mrs. Lowman organized a class Mrs. Lillian Spears, one of my teachers at trip to Williamsburg, Virginia. My parents Beaufort High School. By expecting nothing served as chaperones for the trip and to this less than the highest standards of excellence, day we still reminisce about the places we she helped prepare me and many others for the visited and the things we learned. I believe challenges life brings. I thank Mrs. Spears, as Mrs. Lowman’s interest in civics and love of well as dedicated teachers across the Palmetto teaching were a tremendous influence on me, as State, for their commitment to providing our I later received a degree in Political Science young people with the tools they need to reach from Newberry College. Simply put, she their maximum potential. Take Care.” enjoyed her job and made education fun for all.” Andre Bauer Lt. Governor Inez Tenenbaum “As a young, energetic boy in Supt. of Education the third grade at Irmo “Without a doubt, my Elementary, Harriet Ward favorite teacher and the gave me a sense of direction person who made the biggest and was vitally interested in impact in my life was my seeing me succeed. Anyone mother, Bernice Moore. My who knew me would agree that I had mother also was my fifth- boundless energy. Mrs. Ward saw potential grade teacher in our small school in Pineview, there and creatively and positively channeled Ga. She loved teaching (taught for more than that energy. Harriet Ward is one of the best 20 years), set high expectations, was very fair teachers I had. She cared about each one of her and orderly, and was totally committed to students because we were individually her making sure you understood the subject matter. children.” She treated me like any other student in her 1 class and when school ended, she became my mother and did not bring her work home. She Senator John Drummond was the best!” Senate President Pro Tempore Emeritus “I graduated from the public school in Ninety Six, and there United States Congress were two favorite teachers I will always remember. Ms. Representative Joe Wilson Bell was my 5th grade teacher, who was very “I was fortunate in every grade attending the fond of me, and I learned so much from her. public schools of downtown Charleston to have My first grade teacher was Mrs. John Durst, dedicated teachers, but I will always be grateful who is the late grandmother of John Durst of for Sara Bookhart. As Social Studies teacher at Columbia, who has been involved in politics the High School of Charleston, she stimulated and was a former employee of Lt. Governor lively discussion, encouraged involvement, and Brantley Harvey. Mrs. Durst would call me is directly responsible for inspiring me to public John D., telling me that this name stood for service.” John D. Rockefeller and that I reminded her of him! She is the teacher who gave me that extra ‘push’ and was so supportive, and without her help, I don’t know if I would have finished high South Carolina Senate school. Mrs. Durst recently passed away after celebrating her 100th birthday. I attended this Senator Thomas celebration, and she bragged at that time that Alexander she remembered me always bringing her an “Mrs. Martha Hedden, a apple to school. She also boasted how proud high school teacher, was my she was of me and my accomplishments. A favorite teacher. She was a reporter who was also at her birthday very devoted and dedicated celebration asked Mrs. Durst what contributed teacher who inspired me in to the longevity of her life. She looked at him my work and to be all I and replied, ‘breathing in and breathing out!!’ I could be in school and life. She saw your will never forget her.” potential and believed in you. I was very fortunate to have her as a teacher who motivated me. I appreciate her.” Senator Wes Hayes “ In the third grade, I started having an interest in attending the United States Senator Ronnie Cromer Military Academy at West “Mrs. Marie S. Huggins, my Point. My third grade first grade teacher, loved her teacher, Mrs. Hoke, profession. She taught encouraged this interest by reading by phonics which calling me ‘Brigadier’ and allowing me to sign has helped me tremendously my paper, ‘Gen. Hayes.’ Because of her throughout life. I feel Mrs. encouragement, and many other teachers along Huggins provided me with the way, I was able to achieve my goal and the foundation I needed to be successful in life.” attend West Point.” 2 Senator Hugh K. were responsible for me getting elected to the Leatherman, Sr. Senate because they inspired me to get involved “My most influential teacher 35 years before I ran for office.” was Lucile Upton, my fourth grade teacher at Senator J. Verne Smith Northbrook #3 Elementary “While I loved and respected in rural Lincoln County, many of my teachers, my North Carolina. Although I all-time favorite was Ms. can’t say exactly how she did it, Ms. Upton Nellie Bolt. She was my planted the seeds that made me want to excel junior and senior year and achieve. What I am today is due to her.” English teacher. Besides having a wonderful personality and strong leadership qualities, she Senator Larry A. Martin taught me exactly what I needed to know for “My first-grade teacher, Mrs. my freshman English class in college. I worked Hall, was a favorite of mine. hard to make a ‘C’ under Ms. Bolt and an ‘A’ as Mrs. Hall was a sweet dear a freshman in college. Her memory is beautiful lady who loved her students and respectful to me. She gave her lifetime and inspired them to do teaching young people and she touched their very best. She taught thousands of lives in a positive way. She first grade for many years at passed away several years ago around the age the rural school I attended. I had many fine of 90.” teachers after her, but Mrs. Hall helped me and countless others begin school in a positive way that made a profound impact as we moved on through the years.” South Carolina House of Representatives Doug Smith Senator Thomas L. Speaker Pro Tempore Moore “Without question, the most “Mrs. Douglas Wise, of influential teacher in my life Trenton, SC, who taught me was my 11th grade in the fifth grade. Mrs. Wise Herpetology teacher, Major told stories of great South Rhodes. While admittedly, I Carolinians and spurred my wasn’t much with animals, interest, which later led to Major Rhodes taught me that learning didn’t my candidacy for and stop within the four walls of the classroom. service in the General Beyond the walls was where, what you learned, Assembly. She took such deliberate time with mixed with common sense was applied. each of us and was a masterful storyteller. I can Believe it or not, I still hear from Major Rhodes hear her now telling us that no matter who you who fudges and says he’s proud of me!” are or from where you come, you can be successful.” Representative Alan Clemmons Senator Glenn Reese “Mrs. Maddie Blount was “My ninth grade civics my fourth grade teacher at teacher and my eleventh Myrtle Heights Elementary grade government teacher School. Through 19 years of 3 public schooling, graduate and post graduate lady who taught me first grade had the insight studies Mrs. Blount will always stand out as an to realize I had far more talent than my school educator who went beyond what was expected work reflected and suggested my folks have my to encourage ‘her’ children in the classroom to eyesight tested by a specialist. It turned out I look beyond the bindings of a textbook to had a somewhat unique vision problem that challenge their minds with new ideas.” prevented my eyes from focusing together. After 15 months of weekly eye training sessions, I went from the lowest reading level to Representative Dan the top of my class. Then in junior high in Cooper Virginia, a very special lady named Mrs. Powell “I had many teachers who placed me in an accelerated English and math helped influence my life and pilot program. She taught me how to use I greatly respect each one. critical thinking skills in solving problems, real The toughest teacher I had problems, and not just in school. She was Martha Davis who challenged us to think outside the box!” taught English at Wren High for many years. Miss Davis taught me 12th grade English and College Prep.