Nearly everyone has a story they can share about a special teacher who touched their life.
Educators have an important and impactful job helping to shape the lives of children as they grow into adults. Its if for that reason the Carter County Imagination Library sponsors the Carter County – Elizabethton Educators Hall of Fame.
“It’s really to honor those who have made a life-long impact in the lives of children,” said Tyler Fleming with the CCIL. “Many have given a life-long commitment to education.”
Each year, one living retired teacher and one deceased teacher from the Carter County School System and one living retired teacher and one deceased teacher from the Elizabethton City School System are added to the ranks of the Hall of Fame.
Teachers are selected for the honor by special committees who review nominations received from the community. Fleming said the public is invited to nominate a teacher or educator who has touched their life in a special way.
“We have a committee outside of our organization that makes the decision,” Fleming said. “We put together a committee from the city for the city candidates and a committee from the county for the county candidates.”
Each year a special banquet ceremony is held to induct the new members into the Hall of Fame. This year’s celebration banquet will be held on April 8. More details on the banquet will be released at a later time.
“At the banquet it is really amazing to hear the stories from some of the people who nominated the teachers,” Fleming said.
The nomination process for the Class of 2017 to the Carter County – Elizabethton Educators Hall of Fame is now open.
Fleming said there is no years of service requirement a teacher must meet to be qualified for the Hall of Fame.
To nominate a teacher for the Hall of Fame, residents are asked to fill out a nomination form and return it to either the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library or by mailing it to Tyler Fleming, 214 Sycamore St., Elizabethton, TN 37643. Nomination forms are available at the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library or through members of the Imagination Library. Teachers can be inducted into the Hall of Fame only once.
Nominations must be received no later than March 20, 2017.
The current members of the Educators Hall of Fame are listed below along with their induction year and school system:
2016
County: David Buck, Joe Taylor
City: Wanda Bass, Judy Little
2015
County: Tommy Jenkins, Richard Winters
City: Harold Ellis, Ronald Taylor
2014
no inductees listed by the Carter County Imagination Library
2013
County: Kate Ensor, John Hardin
City: Frank Baker, Willie Church
2012
County: Janice Willette Ericson, Zola Shankle
City: Mary Emma Brown, Anna Kinch
2011
County: James G. “Buddy” Jones, Mary Rasar
City: Gertrude Bishop, Fannie Stover
2010
County: Margaret Jones, Glen Tester
City: Bill Armstrong,  Harry Fine
2009
County: Cathy Ogg, Jack Pearman
City: Sam Greenwell, Thomas J. Harville
2008
County: Margaret Broome, Glenda Ranshaw
City: Joebelle Hood, Melville Kelly
2007
County: Newland Hyder, Edna Potter
City: Reuben Pierce, Bertie Summerlin
2006 — County: Helen Finney, James Potter
City: Charles Lipford, Donna Netherland