ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / January 19, 2000

The St. John Parish School Board Spotlight on Teachers program shines ontwo teachers this month, one who has recently begun her teaching career and the other an experienced professional.

Both are loved by their students and respected by their peers as outstanding teachers.

Meghan Gist is a fifth- and sixth-grade reading teacher at Fifth Ward Elementary and she also teaches English. A native of St. Charles Parish,Gist has only been teaching for a year.

A recent graduate of Northwestern State University, Gist didn’t start out with the goal of being a teacher. She was a political science major incollege. One summer she went to visit her sister in Boise, Idaho, and whilethere she worked in a day care center and fell in love with working with children.

“That day care really changed my mind. Besides,” says Gist with a smile,”everyone had been telling me that I would be a great teacher.”In her nomination of Gist, Fifth Ward principal Jacqueline Forest says, “Mrs. Gist exemplifies what true excellence in teaching is. Meghan Gist hasan excellent rapport with her students, parents and co-workers.”Teaching reading to St. John Parish students is a big challenge for Gist.”The most rewarding thing about this job is helping out a student who has a history of academic failures and watching them become successful,” says Gist. “I really enjoy that challenge.”Her biggest challenge is to get students to read at their grade level.

“But the St. John School Board has done a great job in the past year,” saysGist. “We have made great strides in literacy.”Gist and her husband, a band director at Lutcher High School, live in Boutte and have been married just over a year. When not teaching, Gist loves toread, exercise, decorate and shop. She also likes to spend time with herfamily and help out with her church’s activities. She says she plans to gofor her master’s degree sometime next year.

While Gist may be new to teaching, Mary Green is a seasoned veteran of 26 years experience. Green teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English andsocial studies at Leon Godchaux Junior High in Reserve.

She started teaching in the mid-70’s at then-Woodland Elementary School.

“The principal put me in special education,” says Green. “I wasn’t too sure,but I love it now.” Green liked it so much she went back to school and got her certification is special education.

Grady Hall, principal of Leon Godchaux Junior High writes, “Mrs. Green isdefinitely one who represents what Leon Godchaux Junior High is all about.

She is always striving to help her students improve.”Green believes teachers “are born, not made.””It takes a certain inner quality to be a teacher,” Green says, “and not everybody has it.”For Green, being a teacher means being a father, mother, doctor and priest all rolled into one.

“It takes a lot to reach some of these children,” Green says.

Her most rewarding moments are when ex-students come to see her and thank her for pushing them to succeed and caring for them.

“That is really the best time.” Green says fondly.There are two things hard for Green when it comes to teaching.

“It is so hard to see all the problems that kids have and having the knowledge that I can’t fix some of those problems,” says Green. “I also getvery sentimental when the eighth-graders graduate. I don’t want them toleave. It’s hard to let them go.”Hall says Green is the first one at school and the last one to leave.

“I volunteer to help out all the time,” says Green. “I’m always ready to helpout the staff and the students. I have a daily prayer of trying to helpsomeone every day.”That spirit of giving also extends into her off-time. On weekends Greenlike to volunteer her time to help out the elderly in her neighborhood. Shevisits people and runs errands for those who can’t get out of the house.

She plans to volunteer full time when she retires.

Retirement doesn’t seem to be something she is looking forward to.

“I wouldn’t retire, except for the fact of way too much paperwork in this job,” Green says, laughing.

Asked what advice she would give new teachers, she says with conviction, “Have high expectations of yourself, and have structure in your work and your class.”

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