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PAGE 6A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. MARCH 5. 2015
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Sonja Gordy talks Mondays and yard work
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Gordy said as a teacher one of her greatest joys is when a strug
gling student, who has practiced andfailed multiple times, suddenly
lights up and shouts, “Hey, I get it!”
By Christie Pool
Staff writer
christie@pickensprogress.com
How long have you been
teaching?
I moved to Young Harris in
1993, and soon began as a para
professional at Towns County
Comprehensive School. I had a
wonderful teacher, who in
spired me to go ahead and start
college. With her encourage
ment, Mrs. Julia Rogers, I was
officially certified in December
1998.1 was teaching in my own
classroom in February 1, 1999.
Since then, I am in my class
room more than I am at home.
I love teaching. I began at Pick
ens Elementary for two years at
which time the school became
Jasper Middle School. I re
mained there for 12 more years.
Last year I was transferred to
Harmony Elementary.
How long in special educa
tion?
I have taught special needs
students my entire career.
However, I have also had the
opportunity to teach the general
population through the co
taught model, after school tu
toring, and summer school.
One thing that is reconfirmed,
no matter one’s learning ability,
is that everyone has strengths
and weaknesses.
When did you know you
wanted to be a teacher?
I suppose I knew as a young
child that a teacher I would be.
I loved ‘playing’ school with
my many stuffed animals and
dolls. In addition, my sixth
grade teacher, Mrs. Boyd-
Union City Elementary, is re
sponsible for keeping the
ambers of my dream burning.
I wanted to be a teacher just
like her. In my world, she was
the perfect teacher. When God
blessed with me a step-daugh
ter with a moderate, intellectual
disability, I knew I wanted to
work with special needs chil
dren. So many special needs
children do not believe in them
selves. I wanted to be there for
them—believe in them until
they develop enough confi
dence to believe in themselves.
Many struggling students see
the glass as half empty; but,
with enough positive support
and encouragement one will
leam that he can do more with
half a empty cup, than many do
with a full gallon. I simply be
lieve in my students’ success,
until they develop enough con
fidence to believe in them
selves.
What brings you joy?
As a teacher, one of my
greatest joys is when that strug
gling student, who has prac
ticed and failed multiple times,
suddenly lights up and shouts,
“Hey, I get it!” Finding a note-
-poem, folded and placed on
my desk, long after the students
have gone that read, “Thank
you God for giving me Mrs.
Gordy,” is a special joy that re
minds me over and over, “Life
is good”.
Perhaps one of my most
memorable joys was when a
former student showed up to
see me on the last day of
school. He stood there with a
bouquet of roses and said,
“Mrs. Gordy, these are for you.
I graduate tomorrow.” He
handed me a card, which I
thought was an invitation to his
graduation. I opened it, only to
discover a card that read,
“Thank you teacher.” Of
course, every time a student
slips and calls me Mama or
Nana, well, my heart smiles.
This tells me at that moment,
this student is as comfortable as
he/she would be at home.
Words can never express the
many joys I have experienced
over the years. Out of the
hearts, the mouths, and arms of
babes joy abounds.
Tell us something most people
don't know about you?
Mondays are my favorite
day of the week, and yard work
is my favorite chore. If last
week was rough then, I have
the opportunity to try again. If
last week was good then, I have
a whole new week to make it
better. It is like a calming effect
for me to know that I have five
days to get it done before Fri
day. Cutting grass is an oppor
tunity to have instant
gratification and while not
wasting time or gaining weight.
In addition, when the lawn
mower is clattering along, I can
sing until my heart’s content. I
must sound pretty good, be
cause the neighbors have never
complained.
On a more serious note, not
a day goes by that I do not con
sider the future of my students
as adults. Yes, we are mandated
what we must teach, what
amount of rigor we should pro
vide, motivate our students to
leam, as well as teaching them
how all the bits and pieces
make a picture and vice versa.
However, at the end of the day
I ask myself, “Gordy, what did
you do today, to help your stu
dents (future adults of this com
munity) be a law abiding,
productive citizen of the com
munity—in spite of his/her dis
ability?”
When I retire, my goal is to
have a boutique type busi
ness—a thrift store. I would
love to bring in community
based learning into the estab
lishment. I saw this done in
Tennessee. Special needs stu
dents from the high school
were the only employees. This
was the neatest business.
Though it was a thrift store,
every item was in buy and wear
conditions. The employees
washed, dried, ironed, and
mended all the donations. The
‘employees’ were happy to
meet customers; they were
learning money skills, people
skills, as well as many other
life-skills. Most of all they
were feeling good about them
selves and what they doing. I
told my husband right then,
“This is what I want to do when
I retire.” I guess once a
teacher—always a teacher.
Married?
I have been married for 27
years to Stephen P. Gordy, and
which must have been in the
making for many years. As a
little boy, my husband lived
next door to the house where I
was living when we met. He
used to the cut the grass of my
house.
Children?
My husband and I each
brought three children into the
marriage; he brought two girls
and a boy and I brought two
boys and a girl. We both had a
daughter named Amanda and
both sets of children were about
the same age. A home-grown
Brady Bunch. Marklynne,
Stephanie, Stephen, Amanda,
Amanda, and Russell. In the
last 15 years we have accumu
lated five grand-children—
three boys and two girls:
Jonathan, Christian, Alayna
Brooke, Caleb, and Raelynn.
What's your most prized pos
session?
The only answer to my most
prized possession is my salva
tion. Knowing that Jesus Christ
is only a prayer away is my
promise that no matter what the
situation, He is my hope, my
gift, my peace. Funny thing, the
government can pass rules all
day, “No prayer in schools,”
but as long as there are believ
ing students and teachers, there
will be prayers. I love my fam
ily and I love being a teacher.
Both of these are prized posses
sions as well. However, with
out the Lord’s blessings I
would have neither.
If you could have a dinner
party with 1 historical person
who would it be?
Mother Teresa. She must be
the greatest example, since
Christ, of humbleness and a liv
ing example of prioritizing
what is really important. The
party would be in her honor,
but I would love to be her stu
dent. How does one focus on
what is the most important?
How does one stay humble,
when there is so much friction?
I am certain that schooling
from Mother Teresa could only
make me a better wife, mother,
daughter, and teacher. The les
sons she taught went far be
yond the classroom and the
church.
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Mobile Lab Purchase
Request for Proposal (RFP)
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission is issuing a
Request for Proposal (RFP) to purchase a mobile lab to provide
services in the following Northwest Georgia counties: Bartow,
Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon,
Haralson, Murray, Pickens, Paulding, Polk, Walker and
Whitfield.
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission has been selected
as the Grant Sub-recipient for Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
funds. All funding is contingent upon availability of funds under
Title I of the WIA or other federal funding sources, however, it
is estimated that up to $300,000 in Title I funds for a small
equipped mobile lab build to specifications or up to $400,000
for a larger unit.
A Bidder’s Conference will be held on March 5, 2015 at 1:30
p.m. E.S.T. in the Conference Room of the Northwest Georgia
Regional Commission, 1 Jackson Hill Drive, Rome, Georgia
30161. Technical assistance in the proposal process will be
provided only at the Bidder’s Conference. A copy of each
question/answer from the Bidder’s Conference will be available
upon written request. Questions may be submitted for consider
ation at the conference. Thay can be emailed to
gdellinger@nwgrc.org, faxed to 706-802-5567 or hand delivered
to 1 Jackson Hill Drive, Rome, Georgia 30161. They must be
received by 5:00 p.m. E.S.T. on March 4, 2015.
The on-line RFP will be available by February 19, 2015 at
www.careerdepot.org. The RFP may be picked up at the
Bidder’s Conference. To obtain proposal format, all other may
picked up a copy at Northwest Georgia Regional Commission,
1 Jackson Hill Drive, Rome, Georgia 30161 or request the RFP
in writing. Requests for Proposal formats by telephone (except
fax) will not be accepted.
Deadline to submit a proposal is 4:30 p.m. Daylight Savings
Time, March 13, 2015. No proposals will be accepted after this
date and time. Proposals should be mailed to P.O. Box 1798,
Rome, Georgia 30162-1798 or delivered to 1 Jackson Hill Drive,
Rome, Georgia 30161. Local educational agencies, community-
based organization, small minority and/or women’s businesses
are encouraged to apply. The Northwest Georgia Regional
Commission reserves the right to reject any/all bids received or
qualified, to accept other than the lowest bid, to negotiate with
responsive bidders for the best price or the cancel, in part or in
its entirety, the request if it is in the best interest of the NWGRC
to do so. Funding is contingent upon the availability of federal
funds.
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TDD/TTY: 1-800-225-0056
LIFESAVING 101
DONATE BLOOD!
American
Red Cross
F & A Masons of Jasper, GA Pickens Star #220
Friday, March 13, 2-15
1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
193 Old Federal Road, Jasper
Call Wayne Erickson at @ 706-579-2918
to schedule your appointment
Please eat iron rich food, Drink plenty of non-caffeinated Fluids and get a
good night’s rest before donating blood.
redcrossblood.org | 1-800-RED CROSS
Habitat For Humanity installs new board
Pickens County Habitat’s new board of directors (l to r) Bob Coleman, Donnie Craig,
Jonathan Schooler, John Slim, president Steve Greenwell, Mark Mitton and (not pictured)
Kathy Howard.
Submitted by Pickens County
Habitat for Humanity
Steve Greenwell, president
of Habitat for Humanity Pick
ens County, recently recognized
the outgoing board of directors
for their dedication and devoted
work to the local non-profit that
builds homes for families in
need. The departing board
members were also presented
with a plaque for their service.
Departing directors are:
Kenny Holloway, Larry Kelly,
Mila Lane, Keith Scott and Bob
Vaughn.
“Habitat would not be where
we are today if it were not for
the hard work and dedication of
these individuals,” said Green
well. “All the departing direc
tors will continue to volunteer
on various committees and
events.”
Greenwell also installed the
new board of director members
for the next three-year term.
The new directors are Bob
Coleman, Donnie Craig, Kathy
Howard, Mark Mitton, Jonathan
Schooler and John Slim. Con
gratulations and THANKS to
these new Pickens County
Habitat leaders.
To leam more about Habitat
for Humanity, to volunteer or to
make a donation, please visit
our website at PickensHFH.org
or call 706-253-2393.
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888.604.8043