FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 5, 2008
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

Four inducted into Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers at MUW

COLUMBUS, Miss. - The Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers ceremony at
Mississippi University for Women recognized four educators for exemplary
dedication on Friday.

This year’s inductees were Debbie Edge, who teaches second grade at
North Pontotoc Elementary School; Sadie Gray, a kindergarten teacher at
Ella Darling Elementary School in the Greenville system; Martha Paul
Kent, an English teacher at Blue Mountain High in the South Tippah
School District and Jackie B. Staffney, a third grade teacher at Odell
Clausell Elementary School in the Jackson area.

The Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers was established in 1991 to
recognize educators for their excellence to teaching. To be eligible,
teachers must have at least 15 years of teaching experience, including
at least seven years of teaching in Mississippi schools.

Teachers were judged on the basis of their professional activities,
educational leadership, contributions to curriculum and course
development, teaching philosophy and influence on students and other
teachers. Involvement in extracurricular activities also was a part of
the evaluation.

The Hall now has 106 members, including graduates of almost every
teacher education program in Mississippi, plus several from other
states.

Among the finalists were Emelda O. Bryant, a math teacher at Alexander
Junior High in Brookhaven and Dora McCoy, who recently passed away.
McCoy taught fifth grade at East Kemper Elementary School.

The Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers was held in conjunction with
the Institute for First-year Teachers, which was initiated in 1993 to
advise and encourage beginning teachers.

The Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation sponsored both events.