Chattooga County Teachers of the Year Recognized

Amber Witt received Bachelor of Social Work from Jacksonville State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Reinhardt University. She is in her sixth year at Leroy Massey Elementary and teaches fourth grade Math.

Kari Groce

Kari Witt Groce received a Bachelor of Science in Education at Shorter University, a Masters in Education at Kennesaw State University, and a Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction at Lincoln Memorial. She is in her 19th year of teaching and she teaches 4th and 5th grade math. Mrs. Groce has also spent time teaching at Pennville Elementary, Calhoun Elementary and Calhoun Middle School. She has been married to her high school sweetheart, Brad, for almost 18 years. The couple are the proud parents of three amazing children who attend Chattooga County Schools; Abby (sophomore), Brady (freshman) and Blaine (4th grade). Mrs. Groce grew up in Chattooga County and graduated from Trion High School.

Groce on what led her to teaching: “Teaching is definitely a calling that God placed on my heart as a young, teenage girl. I began attending mission trips to Jamaica and different states in the U.S to help share the gospel through puppetry, dressing as a clown and conducting Vacation Bible Schools. Through these trips as a teenager, I gained a heart for ministering and teaching children. I also gained a heart for the children of Chattooga County by starting Backyard Bible Clubs. Johnny Helms, Lana Moseley and I went to locations all over Chattooga County and did Bible School to give children, who didn’t have transportation to church, the opportunity to experience the fun of Vacation Bible School. My faith in Christ and these experiences helped me grow a deep desire to become a teacher. I started helping my “adopted mom”, Regina Parker, work in her classroom at Pennville Elementary and also worked as a tutor my Senior year of high school in Mrs. Carole Waters 3rd grade class.”

Christy Willis

Mrs. Willis teaches 4th Grade ELA and Social Studies. She received her Bachelors at Covenant College, Masters from Lesley University and her EDS (Specialist) from Lincoln Memorial University. She is married to Kris (Tree) Willis who works at the Summerville Recreation Department. She has three children, William Tripp Marks, Hannah Elizabeth Marks and Riley Kristopher Willis.

Mrs. Willis began her teaching career at Summerville Elementary School in 1990 when she was hired by Principal, Mike Poole. She took a few years off from teaching to stay home her children and returned to work when they entered 1st grade at Menlo. She has been at Menlo since 2001 and has taught everything from 1st to 5th grade.

Willis on what the greatest reward of teaching is: “The greatest reward is to see a student finally be able to do something that they thought they couldn’t do, or for the light bulb to come on and them to understand something clearly for the first time. A great reward is to see  a student years after I taught them and for them to hug me and talk about all the things we did in class, or to have a student beg to come back to my class, or to bring their kid to Menlo and say, ”I wanted my kids to come here because you were my teacher and I want them to have you too.”