Like many others on Monday, Joy Holman received a certificate at a retirement banquet on Monday - honoring her service to the Aiken County School District.
Like many others, her story is the same: After three years as a physical education teacher in Columbia, Holman arrived at Busbee Elementary School in Wagener and didn't leave for the next 30 years.
"I thought I would do high school, but what happened is that I fell in love with the little ones," Holman said "I saw their excitement and was able to facilitate their skills."
What she also brought to her students is the jump-rope sport known internationally as Double-Dutch. The challenge is that two participants swing long ropes, but in different directions. One or more students jump in and jump rope, traversing that difficult requirement.
"It's about kids getting up and moving and finding something they can enjoy," Holman said.
The retirees included teachers, administrators, nurses, teaching aides, custodians, food service staffers and more. The event was titled, "Honoring Time Well-Served."
Superintendent Dr. Beth Everitt invited all the retirees to come to the podium to receive their certificates and shake the hands of Everitt, School Board Chairman Rosemary English and other Board members. The last educator to be called was Deputy Superintendent David Caver, retiring after 38 years. Everitt is retiring too, she said, also after 38 years in the field, with the last seven in Aiken County.
"It's a special time for all of us," Everitt said. "We have so many wonderful memories."
Barbara Craig, the Warrenville Elementary School art teacher, was recognized as the most experienced, with 44 years of service. Just behind her with 43 years are Mary Wood Smith, with the Center for Innovative Learning; and Cynthia Ivey, with Aiken Elementary School, with 41 years of service.
Craig, 67, spent most of her career at the college level in Michigan, working with prospective teachers.
She also taught adult education and elementary and high school students before moving to Aiken six years ago.
"I was 61, but felt I could still teach for a few more years," Craig said. "I made the right choice ... and the kids have been wonderful."
Jim McNeill III taught social studies for 32 years - nine at Schofield Middle School and 23 at Silver Bluff High School. He was unable to attend the banquet, but by telephone, he described how much he loved history. "Most people don't think it's fun, but I see it as telling stories. Kids are all about that."
He especially enjoys sharing his passion for the Renaissance era and the Progressive Era in the early 20th century. Yet his students also need to understand the impact of current news, he said. Last September, he discussed and showed photographs of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, to his freshmen, who weren't yet toddlers at that time.
Holman offers an after-school jump-rope club and also has accomplished far more. She has long brought the sport as a competition for selected Columbia and Wagener students at the state, national and international level. Some of her Wagener participants have visited the Caribbean, and one even competed in Paris several years ago. It depends on their skill, of course, "but also the glow in their eyes," Holman said.
Senior writer Rob Novit is the Aiken Standard's education reporter.