Newspaper Page Text
Friday, December 25,2015
Lake Oconee News
Page A9
GREENE COUNTY
Jimmie Gilbert named Greene County TOTY
Contributed
Greene County Schools recently announced, from left, Sharda Massey, Jimmie Gilbert, Demetro Stephens, Gillian Gunter and LaTaya
Cochran as the system's Teacher of the Year for their respective schools.
Jimmie Gilbert, Anita White
Carson Middle School’s Teacher
of the Year, was named Greene
County Schools Teacher of the
Year recently during the Greene
County Board of Education
meeting.
Gilbert has 16 years of expe
rience in education. She began
her teaching career at Hancock
Central Middle School.
Throughout the years, she has
taught fourth grade math and
science, sixth grade math and
eighth grade math and science.
Gilbert currently serves as the
gifted math and science teacher
at CMS.
A native and resident of
Hancock County, Gilbert was
commissioned in the United
States Navy before starting her
career in teaching. In the Navy,
she was responsible for her squad
ron’s operating budget. She was
deployed in the Mediterranean for
six months on the USS Dwight D.
Eisenhower, stationed in Norfolk,
VA. After five years of faithful and
dedicated service, she decided to
leave the Navy.
Gilbert has one son, Nicholas
Xavier, who is a freshman in
college.
Other Teachers of the Year for
2016 were Demetro Stephens,
Greene County CBJ Preschool,
Sharda Massey, Greensboro Ele
mentary School, LaTaya Cochran,
Union Point STEAM Academy,
and Gillian Gunter, Greene
County High School.
Demetro Stephens - Greene
County CBJ Preschool
Stephens is currently in his
third year of teaching physical ed
ucation at CBJ Preschool.
Stephens also teaches Health
& P.E. at Greene County High
School and the PREP Center. He
is the assistant head coach for the
Greene County Tigers football
team, coaching linebackers and
offensive linemen. He will enter
his first season as the Greene
County Tigers baseball coach in
2016.
Stephens received his college
education from Florida State
University, earning his degree
in Sports Management. He also
played football at Florida State,
where he was the team captain,
and was awarded honors for his
academic and athletic perfor
mance.
Stephens is married to Olu
Stephens. Together they have a
4-year-old son, Micah, and two
children in college, Courtney and
Demetro Jr. He attends Covenant
Church in Snellville, where he is
an associate pastor and assists
with the youth and teen ministry.
He also serves as a mentor with
the Road to Success program for
young men.
Sharda Massey - Greensboro
Elementary School
Massey, a native of Madison,
attended Georgia Southern Uni
versity and received her Bach
elor’s degree in early childhood
education. She is currently in the
process of earning her Master’s
degree from Brenau Universi
ty, and her gifted endorsement
through RESA.
She is actively involved in her
community. She is a member
of the Tri-Counties mentoring
program here in Greensboro.
Massey is also an assistant coach
with the Morgan County High
School basketball team and a
coach with a summer league bas
ketball program. Massey works
annually with Madison’s Feed the
Hungry and Operation Christmas
Child. Massey is a proud member
of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Incorporated, Professional Asso
ciation of GeorgiaEducators and
Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fra
ternity.
LaTaya Cochran - Union
Point STEAM Academy
A native of Greene County,
Cochran graduated from Greene
County High School in 2008.
She continued her education at
Valdosta State University re
ceiving a Bachelor’s degree in
early childhood education in
2011. She recently earned her
Master’s degree in education from
Piedmont College.
Cochran plays a critical role
at UPSA. She spends endless
hours at school planning lessons
and organizing events. Although
teaching is her first priority,
Cochran has taken it upon herself
to head the school’s PTO. She has
planned two successful events,
Grits with Grandparents and a
Fall Festival.
Gillian Gunter - Greene
County High School
Gunter is originally from
Toccoa. She came to live and
work in Greensboro in 2012 after
graduating from the University
of Georgia with a dual degree in
Spanish and Foreign Language
Education.
Currently, Gunter teaches AP
Spanish, Spanish II and Spanish
III, and is one of the high school’s
Spanish club advisors. She is also
the sponsor of the Junior Class
and the Peach Read team. She
serves as the World Language
Department Chair for the high
school’s leadership team. Outside
of school, Gunter enjoys reading
and spending time with her
family.
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The Farmers and Merchants bank will be CLOSING at 1pm on
Christmas Eve and will be CLOSED all day on Christmas Day.
FMB
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100 South Madison Ave 1011 Lake Oconee Pkwy
Downtown Eatonton Harmony Crossing
706-485-9941 (706) 485-9858
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