The Buford Community Center played host to some of the most influential residents as well as some of the best in the educational field. They arrived to honor the four Teachers of the Year winners for Buford City Schools. Each winner had an entirely different teaching style. Their backgrounds and what drives them are diverse.
Buford Board of Education member, Bruce Fricks led the invocation and the evening’s entertainment was provided by the 2018 GMEA State Elementary Honors Chorus from the Buford Academy which is directed by Gary Lenz. These exemplary singers were Rachel Brody, Hannah Hill, Raina Patel, and Gabriel Silva.
Tara Prince, Buford Elementary Principal introduced Ms. Lana Nix who is the Teacher of the Year for Buford Elementary. Ms. Nix is the Media Specialist at BES. She has inspired students to not only read but love to read and finds every opportunity to get her students engrossed in a book.
Buford Middle School Principal, Melanie Reed introduced the BMS Teacher of the Year, Ms. Lisa Mathews. Education came later in life for Ms. Mathews. It was a dream of hers to complete school and get her teacher’s certification. She was a banker before pursuing a teaching career. Ms. Mathews worked with the school and school board to create the course she currently teaches, Consumer Math.
Although new to Buford High School, Dr. Ed Shaddix had no problem giving glowing remarks about BHS’s Teacher of the Year Ms. Charlee Yancey. Ms. Yancey teaches U.S. and World History and is in her 13th year of teaching. An emotional Ms. Yancey told of her experiences as a teacher at BHS.
A recurring theme began to emerge, Buford felt like family.
Ms. Kaleen Pulley who is the Principal of Buford Academy introduced the Academy’s Teacher of the Year who also is the Buford City Schools 2018 Teacher of the Year, Mr. Bobby Dubay.
Mr. Dubay who teaches 2nd grade at the Academy, told of his experiences growing up with a single mother, the challenges of going to college and finding a job post-college. He discussed the nerve-racking interview process when he applied at the Academy, and how then Principal Joy Davis saw something in him and gave him the shot. “Out of two hundred other applicants that applied for that one teaching position, one lady saw something special in me” he explains, “and gave me a shot.” A shot that Mr. Dubay has made the most of.
Presentations were made by representatives from Peach State Federal Credit Union and Georgia’s Own Credit Union. These representatives honored the Teachers of the Year with gifts from the Credit Unions. Buford City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Geye Hamby then presented Mr. Bobby Dubay with the System-Wide Teacher of the Year award and gave his closing remarks to the audience.
The banquet was a well put together event that was coordinated by Buford City Schools Central Office Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Amy Moody. Acting as banquet servers for this event were students from Buford High School.
