Golden Apple: Teresa Bowers

“One of the principals said, if the kids need a mama, I’m putting them in your room,” Bowers says. “And I thought, oh my goodness. So, somehow I become the Mother Teresa of the county.”

And you do not have to look far to find out the powerful influence that made Mrs. Bowers who she is today.

“My mom. My mom was the best mom ever. And I think I just got that from her. It’s just that maternal instinct. And they still come up to me and just give me the biggest hugs.”

All that love leads to huge success in the classroom.

“I am a writing teacher and I love to teach them how to get their thoughts out on paper.”

And it all starts with family. The Blakeney Elementary faculty and staff when she’s on campus, and the strong support system when she’s at home.

“My son, my daughter-in-law, my daughter, my husband, they know when I need a little break, and they know when I need some loving,” she says. “Because it’s a lot. Teaching is a lot. And I tell that to our student teachers. It is a lot. When you leave this school, you guys listen, when we leave this school, we still have a job to do at home, and they understood that from a very small age.”