Donna Earl, who has been an instructor for North Georgia Technical College (NGTC) in partnership with the Fannin Literacy Action Group (FLAG) for the last 29 years, is retiring.
Earl started as a volunteer in FLAG’s early infancy at NGTC Blairsville campus teaching Beginning Reading in a boot making factory.
Before teaching adult education, Earl spent six years teaching kindergarten and five years teaching middle school math and science in Florida, where she is from, before moving to Blairsville, Georgia.
In 1999, Earl started teaching full-time Adult Education and General Education Diploma (GED) classes for NGTC and FLAG. She realized when she started volunteering to teach beginning reading to adults that she had found her niche.
And, it is apparent to anyone who speaks with Earl that she loves teaching adults, particularly, “teaching math is my favorite thing to do,” Earl said.
“I love the whole idea of how people acquire knowledge. That’s just fascinating to me. I love helping students untangle what they already know,” said Earl.
Earl said that her teaching philosophy is “if you don’t go home from here tired, hungry and maybe with a headache, then I didn’t work you hard enough.”
Earl’s love and dedication to teaching Adult Education and GED classes were recognized in October 2013 when NGTC acknowledged the 1,000 GED graduates that had passed through the doors of FLAG in Blue Ridge.
Teresa Ross, the Director of FLAG, said that since 2013, it is estimated that 50 more individuals have become GED graduates from FLAG thanks to Earl, the other volunteers, and tutors.
A retirement reception was held Wednesday, June 9, in order to honor and thank Earl for her dedication and service to teaching the 1,000 plus students whom she has helped obtain their GED over her 29-year career with NGTC and FLAG.
The good news is that Earl will continue to volunteer some of her time at FLAG so that she can continue to help adults achieve their GED goals.