The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 58

Thursday, April 24, 2003 Hfc I bNNESttkAi www.iecuiesseaii.coin unntAKlrt M.IVI. BELLEVUE COMMUNITY PROFILE KIDS Charlotte Park teacher of year wasn't ready to retire Jit 37221 DAVIDSON JL COUNTY I fc rLiC 1 1 -list'- IVl lwol GOT BELLEVUE NEWS? HI 1 Award marks Laster's 2nd campuswide honor By TIM ADKINS Staff Writer Joyce Laster, a first-grade teacher at Charlotte Park Elementary School, could have retired eight years ago but decided to keep going after getting her second wind. "I could have been gone home," Laster said with a chuckle. But Laster, who's been teaching for 33 years, got a new burst of energy and knew it wasn't time to throw in the towel just yet. "In my prayers and praise, it came to me that I could still do it," she said.

And that's good news for students at Charlotte Park, where Laster, 54, has taught first grade for the past four years. Laster was this year's teacher of the year at Charlotte Park, marking the second time that she has received a campuswide honor. She won the award in 1996 at Park Avenue Elementary School, where she taught for 16 years. "She's a very committed teacher," Charlotte Park Principal Juanita Lockert said. "She's a very caring, concerned and focused teacher.

She has high expectations for her students and works with them very closely and makes sure they acquire the skills they need for first grade that will help them succeed in later grades." To show her appreciation for the award, Laster enlisted the help of fellow first-grade teacher Nita Ballard, and the two cooked breakfast for the faculty the morning after she found out she won. "I'm the hospitality person of the school," Laster said, laughing. Lockert couldn't agree more. "She's always bringing something in," Lockert said. "She has a punch-bowl cake that everyone likes, and usually it's gone in no time flat.

Whenever she brings something in, she'll put it in the 1 y-. i First-grade teacher Joyce Laster, surrounded by her students, has had a Park Elementary four years ago, she taught at Park Avenue, Westmeade, lounge, and if you don't get in there decided back then that I was going right away, it's gone." to be a schoolteacher because she Laster, a native Nashvillian, said, We always have to have a graduated from the old Haynes schoolteacher in the My High School and had planned to mom's aunt was a schoolteacher." become a speech pathologist. Laster says her family constantly "When I was growing up, there encouraged her to change majors, were only a few things that edu- She gave in, and she doesn't have cated blacks were doing, like any regrets. schoolteachers, nurses, lawyers and Laster earned her bachelor's and doctors," Laster said. "My mother master's degrees from Tennessee ADRIANE JAECKLE STAFF 33-year teaching career with Metro schools.

Before moving to Charlotte McCann, Bellshire, Inglewood and Jere Baxter. State University. She started with part of her job is being surrounded the Metro school system in 1968 at by kids every day. Jere Baxter Elementary School, "I enjoy seeing the look on their one of the first public schools to face when they enjoy success integrate, she said and I enjoy seeing how they bond "I've been at seven different and help one another. I like to see schools, worked with 10 different the encouragement they give each principals, and I've taught third other," she said, grade for 18 years and first grade Laster said she tries to provide a for 15 years," she said.

homelike atmosphere so that chil- Laster says the most enjoyable dren feel good about themselves For singer Ann Downing, dream lives on after husband's death Joelton Elementary School students of the week Tim Ad kins 259-8276 IfeNIMI.l-MM.I.M.-l.miM.lMg and are supportive of one another. "I feel the main reason there is so many discipline problems nowadays is because students don't feel good about themselves," she said. Through the years, Laster has seen many changes. "The children nowadays seem to know more than what I think they need to know at that particular age," she said. "They are exposed to things at home and on television that are very inappropriate, I think.

That can be a hindrance to learning." She's also seen a drastic change in parents' attitudes toward teachers. "Parents need to realize that teachers really work hard," she said. "I don't think parents need to be so critical of teachers, because most teachers really want to be there, and we really care about the students." Laster says she's been around so long that she's now teaching children of former students. "I knew that I had been teaching a long time when I attended a workshop and there was a girl in there (who was now a teacher) that I taught in the third grade," she said. Favorite book: Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots Hobbies reading and watching TV What he likes most about attending Joelton Elementary: "We have a really good principal" Logan Merritt Grade: fourth Age: 10 Favorite TV show Yu-Gi-Oh Favorite school subject: reading Career aspiration: football player Favorite athlete: Titans running back Eddie Georce LOGAN Hobby: playing games on PlayStation 2 What he likes most about attending Joelton Elementary: "We get to do fun stuff like read and play kickbalL" fetoctkm In MkMtai Tothmm" VWt Our few 1 20,000 Sq Ft 1 MfftteS I Iks CLOCKS Lionpt Lamp sludn VISIT 0U WEBSITE HfMHIONSCOM Cllltw I nwtt ol li Ml 'J jL DAVIDSON KIDS to run and jump and play kickbalL" Hobby: playing video games on his Xbox 2 0jr Career aspira tion: teacner Favorite TV show The Nick Cannon Show IMONTY Allen Carton Grade: third Age: 9 Favorite TV show: Dragon BallZ Favorite school subject: reading Career aspiration: police officer "It's cool how they get to chase people and take ALLEN people to jail when they do wrong things." Draperie BedsPread Curtains almost bustonv ZS still on the horizoa Ann thought was a great idea The Down-ings made their debut in spring 1969.

Their first show was in the gymnasium of Ann's high school alma mater. For the once little dreamer girl, it was a triumphant homecoming. The next year Ann Downing won the Dove Award for the best female vocalist. The Downings were booked Lexingtoa Ky, for a performance in late 1991, when PauL 59, suffered a heart attack in the parking lot of the Winchester motel where they had just checked ia Fifty-six days later, was gone. With a broken heart, little money and mounting medical bills, Ann completed what was left of the tour herself, beginning successful solo career that continues today.

Having survived many hardships as a couple, just before his death, Paul and his wife began organizing the first Middle Tennessee Women's Retreat, to held in Nashville in May 1992. Despite her grief, Ann continued plaa then served as host of the inaugural event barely three months after she buried the love her life. This year, the 12th annual MTW Retreat will be held May 2-4 at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt Noted author Jennie Afman Dimkoff is scheduled as the keynote speaker. Downing's latest project, Tell Me Again will be released during the retreat For more information, call toll-free 1-877-886-1629. Henry Piarrot contributes stories about ordinary Nashvlllians doing extraordinary things.

Please send story recommendations to hpiarrotOcomcast.net. April 26, am. 2 p.m. prizes and giveaways galore! In Bellevue 662-6462 I Opinion Mirror. Mirror HtvryPurnit earning $100 a week as a gospel singer.

She was recorded on tracks for the first time at the now historic Studio near Music Row. Sanders was barely 21 when she first met 32-year-old Paul Downing during a show in Georgia At that time, Downing was a member of another gospel group, The Dixie Echoes. Later, arriving at a nearby restaurant, Ann heard someone singing, "Here she comes, Miss America. She was surprised to learn that it was Downing singing to her. The couple married on Aug.

27, 1968. After five years and more than L000 performances across 500,000 miles of the United States and Canada, Ann left The Speer Family to begin her life as Paul Downing's wife. Her new husband may not have still been a singer, but he continued to travel almost as much as when he was. As a corporate sales trainer, he was always gone. Ann did her best to stay busy, but when she was not traveling with her husband, she was quite bored.

In time, Paul realized that without children to keep his wife busy, she found herself Eassing time instead of living er life. Thea in fall 1968, Paul arrived from a business trip one ordinary Friday afternoon and said to his wife, "Let's form our own singing group." With one eye on Door 7054 Highway 70 South 6 'mm it in he a be to of Joelton Elementary School has implemented a new program, HABIT. (Having a Book Is Terrific), to encourage students to read. According to Principal Rise' Pope, the students of the week are excelling in reading and have been true models of what reading is all about. These children are modeling our school initiative HABIT, and have a commitment to reading," she said.

They have been meeting the challenge of reading." Brittany Hopper Grade: kindergarten Age: 6 Favorite cartoon: Rugrats Favorite Crayola crayon: purple Hobby: reading Favorite book: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse Favorite food: BRITTANY macaroni and cheese What she likes most about her teacher Alanda Jones "She lets us read new books every week." Kurt Abbott Grade: first Age: 7 Favorite toy: airplanes F-Hhjrw 1 tnotv SnnmwRfih SquarePants Favorite school subject: reading Hobby: playing rV wara games with his mom KURT Career aspira tions: scientist "I want to make projects and robots." Favorite food: hamburgers Imonty Bryant Grade: second Age 8 Favorite toy: football Favorite school subject: math What he likes most about attending Joelton Elementary: "I like to go to PE because we get a WHEN THE GIRL OF YOUR DREAMS BECOMES THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE tut OIAMONO tMOAOCMINT KINO. 86118 Jewelry Pawn of Madison 404 Gallatin Road Madison 865-2257 The first settlers came to the area that is now Calhoun County, Miss, in the late 1830s. Tiny Pittsboro was selected as the capital when the government was formed in 1852. Traditionally rural, the county now has about 15,000 people. Bruce and Calhoun City are the two largest towns, with populations of about 2,200 and 2,000 respectively.

Young Virginia "Ann" Sanders grew up on a farm in Bruce during the 1940s and '50s. Twelve years younger than her sister Lavern, Ann considered her more a third parent than a sibling, and her childhood experience resembled that of an only child. Never lacking the love of her family, Earnest and Lillie's youngest daughter was nevertheless very lonely. Music filled an important role in the lives of the people in Ann's life. Nothing made her happier than singing.

Between church services and community socials, the farmer's daughter had many opportunities to perfect her vocal gift. Her father later told her that she sang her first song when she was 18 months old. Consequently, the little dreamer girl would stare out of her window most nights, counting the days until she would be old enough to be a professional singer and finally see the other side of the horizoa By the time she graduated from Bruce High School in 1963, Ann had auditioned to sing with The Speer Family, a popular gospel group. Because of her exceptional voice, on Labor Day of that same year, the teenager boarded a Continental Trailways bus bound for Nashville. Ann Sanders began her professional singing career at age 18, rt local news from a WlMillliMMai' mi 9f KM 1 Hffi7ILOREDMVf I yyTREATMENTs vii jjj 1 il a -i HiMVll JJjjluul Jj Your Nashville tource for rubber L9 stamping, scrapbooking, and Vm no 0' i.i- 'paper crafting of all t)pesl ri' CkHs Cutler I Old AW.ilt, TN 37221 61 5.6 73.8988613.662.6933 www.pupewnoonbe 3 i erle noRmflrri Af r.

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