Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A
April 18, 2018
■B
Exporter
2009 MP
grad is top
teacher
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
When Tamarkis Tay
lor was named Monroe
County’s 2018 Teacher of
the Year, he got not only
pride and recognition but
also keys to a new car.
Jason and Holly Connell,
owners of Volume Chevro
let, presented Taylor keys
to a 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
that was waiting outside
the Fine Arts Center.
The vehicle, which
proudly proclaims “Mon
roe County Teacher of
the Year” on the sides
and back, will belong to
Taylor through the 2018-19
school year. He will have a
special TOTY parking spot
for it at T.G. Scott Elemen
tary, where he teaches third
grade.
After principals intro
duced each of the five
Monroe County teachers
who are representing their
respective schools this
year, Superintendent Dr.
Mike Hickman announced
on April 10 that Taylor is
the 2018 Monroe County
Teacher of the Year. As if
Tamarkis Taylor, center,
stands with Jason and Holly
Connell of Volume Chev
rolet in front of the new
Chevrolet Tahoe he’ll drive
as Monroe County Teacher
of the Year.
everyone was not already
envious of the young
educator, the Connells
added an all-expenses-paid
weekend to the luxurious
King & Prince Resort at St.
Simons Island.
“Thank you for inviting
us to share in this celebra
tion,” said Holly Connell.
“Everyone will agree that
nothing is as satisfying
as showing our apprecia
tion for those dedicated to
teaching our children.”
Volume Chevrolet, which
is now in Barnesville,
is opening a location in
Forsyth. The Connells live
in Monroe County, have
children who attend Mon
roe County schools and are
a school system Partner in
Education.
Scott Jernigan of Josten’s
awarded Taylor a Teacher
Kerri
Swearingen
478-808-8000
kerriswearingen@bellsouth.net
O^ISTERS
Co»uuer1? FJtuu/
MIDDLE GA
IREALTYI
78 N Lee St Forsyth, GA 31029
www.middlegeorgiarealty.com
Chrissy
Ham Donovan
478-808-7281
chrissyham@bellsouth.net
478-994-5900
I (®TheSoldSistersInc
0
@thesoldsistersinc
f (®TheSoldSisters
WE NEED A PROVEN,
EFFECTIVE LEADER!
WE NEED GARY BECHTEL!
EFFECTIVE LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE
• District 1 County Commissioner for consolidated Macon-Bibb County
since 2013
- Chairman of Operations and Finance Committee
- Member of Facilities and Engineering Committee of the Macon-Bibb
County Commission
• Appointee to the Macon Water Authority
• Trustee on the Police and Fire Pension Board of Macon-Bibb County
• Former Commissioner for Bibb County Commission
• Former School Board Member for Bibb County Board of Education
RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP IN THE CENTRAL
GEORGIA BUSINESS COMMUNITY
• Enhanced job creation while serving on the Macon Economic
Development Commission
• Vice President with Guaranty Financial, Inc. responsible for multi-million
dollar portfolios specializing in commercial properties throughout the
southeast US
• Commercial Realtor with Bob Lewis & Associates, Inc.
• 16 Years in banking industry as wholesale account executive, asset
manager, commercial mortgage banker, commercial sales associate
Gary is a lifelong resident of Central Georgia
and resides in the Macon-Bibb County area.
Gary and his wife, Laura Meadows Bechtel,
have two children: a daughter, Tarver (26)
and a son, Sam (22).
VOTE MAY 22!
I GARY BECHTEL
| for State Representative
478-390-7719 • Gbechtel1@gmail.com • 667 Monticlair Drive, Macon, GA 31210
Paid for by Gary Bechtel for State Representative
I III III {
l]
U l
of the Year ring, telling him
to pick yellow gold or white
gold. All five school-level
TOTY received overflow
ing gift baskets filled with
items from local businesses
and other sponsors.
The other four teachers
honored were: Mark A.
Smith of Mary Persons,
Lakeisha Walker of Mon
roe County Middle School,
Charlotte Copeland of
K.B. Sutton Elementary
and Dr. Kimberlie Harris
of Hubbard Elementary.
These teachers were chosen
by the certified personnel
at their schools to repre
sent them after a slate of
teachers was nominated
by a committee composed
of the principal, the 2017
TOTY and an additional
certified employee. The
school-level Teachers of the
Year were asked to com
plete applications, which
were judged by persons
outside of the Monroe
County School System,
to become the districts
TOTY. They had to write
about their professional
preparation, professional
biography, community in
volvement and philosophy
of teaching.
Taylor wrote that he
always wanted to be a
teacher. However, one of
his elementary teachers
was very strict and rigid
and made him dislike go
ing to school. He vowed
that he would become a
teacher that would give
his students eight hours of
safety and love each day,
taking away their stress. He
said a teacher never knows
what a student is leaving
behind when he comes to
school.
In introducing Taylor,
TGS Principal Dr. Dick
Bazemore quoted Tay
lor’s 3rd grade students
as saying that he “makes
sure we do our work” but
“makes learning fun.”
Bazemore said that this is
the first time that a student
he taught has gone on to
become Monroe County’s
TOTY.
Taylor is a native of
Monroe County, a 2009
graduate of Mary Persons
who completed his BS in
early childhood and special
education from Middle
Georgia State University in
Macon. He did his stu
dent teaching at T.G. Scott
Elementary and has taught
3rd grade at T.G. Scott
since the 2014-15 school
year. He helps coach the
TGS Robotics Team, spon
sors the Young Gentlemen’s
Club at TGS, is a men
tor with Big Brothers Big
Sisters, helps a local vet as
a veterinary assistant and
is a member of the PAGE
(Professional Association
of Georgia Educators)
Leadership Academy.
“Being able to give back
to the school system that
gave so much to me is very
humbling,” said Taylor
after he was named TOTY.
He thanked his family for
encouraging him, his T.G.
Scott family and especially
the 3rd grade team at TGS
for helping him, and “all
those who make up the
Monroe County School
District.”
Taylor will now be a
candidate for the 2019
Georgia Teacher of the
Year, who will be chosen in
late Spring 2019.
Called meeting for prospect
The Monroe County
Development Authority
is expected to meet this
Wednesday behind closed
doors to discuss a possible
prospect interested in com
ing to the county.
The authority has been
Former Wal-Mart Smart Style employer has moved to a new location.
Blush Beauty Salon
A Full Service Salon
42 North Harris St • Forsyth, GA • 478-974-2065
Customer
Appreciation
Weekend
Appointments
Available
Walk-ins Welcome
Jawana Mays Sharika Harris
B 478-733-7062 470-539-1149
Email: blushbeautysalon@gmail.com
working on the project for
several months, including a
visit by company officials to
Forsyth. The company had
reportedly named Monroe
County one of two finalists
for locating its operations,
and Wednesday’s called
meeting is a sign that Mon
roe County is still a serious
contender.
The authority said it will
discuss land acquisition
in its closed-door session.
Authority members have
said the prospect is very
concerned about secrecy
due to competition, and
does not want its iden
tity revealed until a deal is
done.
I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU!
EfvOTE
MAY 22, 2018
TODD
TOLBERT
District 141
State Representative
Call me and let me how I
can earn your vote.
478-471-1035
EARLY VOTING Visit my webiste at
April 30 - May 18 www.votetolbert.com
I’m a lifelong Republican with a record of standing up for our
conservative values in our local community.
Jobs • Rural Internet • Lower Taxes