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PAGE 2A — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. APRIL 20, 2017
Perkins
• • •
continued from page 1A
ing up to each year's high
school prom, she spends
professional and personal
time and money helping
‘her children’ prepare,” said
Denman. “She teaches them
prom etiquette, advises
them what to expect at the
prom, helps them become
familiar with the prom
venue, assists in selecting
appropriate prom clothes,
and gives them ideas about
dining within their budget.
All this she integrates into a
classroom curriculum. This
example is not an isolated
one. It's the way Sabrina
does her job. This is not a
way Sabrina does certain
things; it’s the certain way
she does all things.”
ELMER CLARK
Former Madison County
High School front office
secretary Johnnie Duncan
introduced Perkins recip
ient Elmer Clark, a social
studies teacher at MCHS,
who has also taught U.S.
History, World History.
Civics, World Geography,
AP World History. He has
also taught numerous col
lege classes. Clark has been
at MCHS for 22 of his 30
years teaching. He coached
wrestling, sponsored the
student council and histori
cal society and coordinated
and sponsored the Raider
Run.
“I think very highly of
Dr. Clark,” said Duncan. “I
feel like we have become
‘Senior Saints' together, but
he is here tonight because
his colleagues and students
feel the same way about
him. It says a lot when your
colleagues recognize you
but when former students
take the time to nominate
you — well that is when
you know you have accom
plished great things by
positively influencing and
impacting their lives.”
Duncan read comments
from students and teachers
about Clark.
“His passion for histo
ry is clearly evident in his
lessons.” said one student.
“You see, Dr. Clark is a
world traveler and he shares
his stories and experiences
to excite and gain the inter
est of his students.”
Another student said: “He
treats students as equals
and never talks down to
us. We often sat in circles
to discuss a specific histo
ry lesson and he was part
of the circle, becoming as
much a facilitator and stu
dent, as teacher. He allowed
us to debate in order to
come to a conclusion, not
just giving us an answer.
We learned about history in
a very engaging and active
way.”
A fellow teacher said:
Doc was one of the first
teachers that I met when I
started teaching at MCHS
17 years ago. He has
always been the example
of diligence and academic
integrity.”
Another teacher said: “He
holds his students to high
standards and he works
tirelessly to help them
achieve those standards. He
has them come in before
school, after school, and
during enrichment time
to help them succeed and
achieve more than they
thought they ever could.”
MIKE HAYNES
Former Madison County
teacher and administrator
Veronica Hunter intro
duced Perkins winner Mike
Haynes, a history teach
er and athletic director at
MCHS.
“What a man!” she repeat
ed as a refrain through her
speech.
Hunter noted that Haynes
is a native Madison County
resident who has worked as
an educator for 22 years,
21 in Madison County. She
said he is a history buff,
who has taught U.S. and
world history, civics, eco
nomics and geography.
“He captivates his stu
dents with his own per
sonal stories,” said Hunter.
“You've heard that phrase,
life is just a party. Well, he
is the life of the party in his
classroom. What a man! He
has coached, sponsored and
was ‘volun-told' to do sev
eral sports: football, track,
soccer and the rifle team.”
Hunter pointed out that
Haynes serves as the ath
letic director of Madison
County High School and
“puts in a ton of work to
our various teams, compe
titions and facilities.”
“But he never allows the
stressful parts of the job
to keep him from embrac
ing the great parts of the
job.” said Hunter. “Coach
Haynes is well known for
the saying, ‘If we win, it’s
on you (referring to the
players), but if we lose,
that’s me.’ What a man!
Coach Haynes has given
tirelessly and unselfishly of
his time, talent, his fami
ly and his money to make
a difference for Madison
County and his students.
Coach Haynes is a dedi
cated Christian man who
seeks God in all he does.
What a man!”
Hunter said “What a
man” was a song written by
David Crawford that hit the
top 50 of the R&B charts in
1968. then reinterpreted by
Salt-N-Pepa in 1993.
“I am elated,” said Hunter.
“I am proud that the Jim
Perkins award is being pre
sented to none other than
Michael James Haynes.
What a man. What a man.
What a mighty good man!”
KEN MORGAN
Madison County Middle
School math teacher Donna
Smith introduced Perkins
recipient Ken Morgan, a
coach and physical educa
tion teacher, who is 26-year
veteran at MCMS.
“I know Mr. Perkins
would be pleased and
proud to know that Ken
was receiving this award,
so honorably named for
such a great man,” said
Smith. “Ken is a ‘home
grown’ Madison County
product who chose to stay
in Madison County and
raise his family and build
his life here where he grew
up.... Ken’s family is also
dedicated to our county and
school system; his mother
is retired from our system
and his sister and daughter
are current teachers, too,
here in Madison County.”
Smith noted that Morgan
has served as a PE teacher
and a variety of coaching
positions.
His most recent assign
ment is Head Varsity
Softball Coach at Madison
County High School. He
has also coached baseball
and basketball and supports
The 2017 Jim Perkins award winners were honored at the April 11 Madison County Board of Education
meeting. They were (L-R) Melissa Ward, Sabrina Bennett, Bonnie Patrick, Elmer Clark, Mike Haynes and Ken
Morgan.
athletics at all levels in our
county. Ken goes above
and beyond the role of just
coach; he seeks to help the
student-athletes with whom
he works become respon
sible adults, ready for life
outside of school. Ken is
a Red Raider through and
through.”
Smith said Morgan,
who serves as a deacon
at Colbert Baptist, is also
there for students outside of
the classroom.
“Ken also sponsors and
is heavily involved in the
Fellowship of Christian
Athletes at Madison County
Middle School,” she said.
“He is a Huddle Sponsor
and is truly concerned with
the ‘whole’ person that our
students are, not just what
type of athlete or student
they are while in his class
room or on the field. Ken
makes time for students
that need that little “extra”
and goes out of his way to
encourage those that need
encouraging the most.”
Smith said Morgan is
very deserving of the rec
ognition.
“The Jim Perkins
Dedication Award is a very
special award, and with it
goes the responsibility of
carrying out and carrying
forth the ideals and quali
ties that Mr. Perkins mod
eled while he served our
county so faithfully,” said
Smith. “Ken Morgan —
you are most deserving in
every way of this award and
we are pleased and proud to
honor you with this special
award here tonight.”
BONNIE PATRICK
Former Madison County
educator Karol Scarborough
introduced Perkins recipi
ent Bonnie Patrick, a native
Madison County resident.
Scarborough said she and
Patrick started first grade
together at Danielsville
Elementary School in the
1960s.
“Bonnie has been a
part of the Danielsville
Elementary School staff for
30 years as a paraprofes-
sional working along side
various general education
teachers, as well as teach
ing reading and math to
small, individual groups,”
said Scarborough. “She has
also been a bus driver for
24 of those 30 years. If
you’ve never ridden on a
bus as an adult, you don't
really understand that.
IDA
• • •
continued from page 1A
ity welcomed new member
Derek Doster. The group is
once again full. New mem
ber Josh Chandler recent
ly replaced current District
2 commissioner Tripp
Strickland and Doster has
replaced longtime member
Roger Tench.
The group learned that
there are now 1,148 custom
ers on county water lines,
up six from last month.
The industrial authori
ty, which oversees county
water and sewer services,
aggressively ran water lines
around the county for sever
al years, but the group has
been in a holding pattern
for a couple of years as
loans for old projects are
paid back.
The IDA met in closed
session Monday to discuss
personnel but took no action
after the meeting.
She has helped train and
coach students in Special
Olympics for 20 of those
30 years.”
Scarborough said those
nominating Patrick for the
award described her as
“committed and depend
able, gentle and kind.”
“She cares about her
students in the classroom
and on the bus. about
their attendance, their well
being, their home life,”
said Scarborough. “In fact,
Bonnie took teachers from
Danielville Elementary
on a field trip around the
county to show them where
some of their students were
living in order to give them
a better understanding of
and love for their students.”
Scarborough said one
person who knows Patrick
commented, “Ms. Bonnie
is a grandmother to us all.
Blood relative or not, we
matter to her.”
Scarborough thanked
Patrick for her service.
“Thank you, Bonnie, for
giving of yourself to the
children of Danielsville
Elementary and it is an
honor to recognize you as a
recipient of the Jim Perkins
Award,” said Scarborough.
MELISSA WARD
Ila Elementary School
special education teacher
Carol Watkins introduced
Perkins recipient Melissa
Ward, a third grade teacher
at Ila Elementary School
for the past 21 years.
Watkins said Ward served
as her mentor teacher when
she first started.
“What I saw was a woman
that was born to teach,”
said Watkins. “Melissa was
already confident, kind and
had a deep knowledge of
the areas she was teaching.
The students were engaged
and Melissa’s passion for
teaching was evident from
the first time I walked in
her classroom. Melissa
was so good that she won
‘Teacher of the Year' her
second year of teaching.”
Watkins said Ward still
displays all of the char
acteristics she initially
saw and that she is a role
model for other teachers.
She noted that Ward always
makes a point to give a gift
to every staff member with
a child graduating from
high school.
“Melissa isn't just a fan
tastic teacher to her stu
dents, she has become quite
the mentor teacher herself
to many other new teach
ers.” she said.
Watkins read comments
from other teachers.
“Melissa is constantly
trying to help others and to
encourage them to become
their best self,” she said.
Another teacher said:
“Melissa is willing to help
anyone at anytime: her
lunch break, planning time,
after school or even on the
weekend.”
The teacher noted how
supportive Ward was when
a student teacher died sud
denly in a car wreck.
Watkins said Ward is a
standout in the classroom
and out of it, too.
“Not only is she a fan
tastic teacher and friend,
she is also an active mem
ber of the Madison County
community,” said Watkins.
“She is very involved at
Moon’s Grove Baptist
Church, where she serves
as a Sunday school small
group leader and works
with the student ministry
and visits elderly members
of her church.”
Watkins said “Melissa is a
shining example for teach
ers and school employees
everywhere — profession
al. trusted, respected and
loved.”
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