JAMES E. VAUGHN FOUNDATION
Dr. Sherrie L. Jeffries has been a public school teacher since 1998 having taught grades 1, 2, 3 and 5. She is currently a Reading Interventionist and Reading Recovery teacher at Mary H. Wright Elementary School. She really loves teaching children to read! Dr. Jeffries has been named Teacher of the Year three times and received the Golden Apple Award for excellence in Teaching and Leadership.
She has furthered her education in the following capacities:
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Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, Furman University, 1998
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Master of Arts in Reading/Literacy, Furman University, 2003
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Reading Recovery certification, Clemson University, 2006 & 2017
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Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership, Converse University, 2022
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Dr. Jeffries’ research at Converse University focused on the effects of mirror texts on Black males students’ reading development in kindergarten and first-grade. Her doctoral research is entitled “Title 1 Early Childhood Educators’ Perceptions of Black Males’ Reading Development Related to the Availability and Representation of Black Male Protagonists in Picture Books in Classroom Libraries”.
She is the cofounder of a family literacy group called SPARK. SPARK is an acronym for Students and Parents Advancing Reading Knowledge. Through SPARK families are introduced to African American children’s books and literacy strategies to help make family reading time
Dr. Jeffries enjoys reading, biking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She is a member of New Day Baptist Church of Spartanburg, SC where she volunteers in several capacities.
Cortney Dial, a native of Charlotte, NC, was raised in a family of musicians and thus began playing the piano and Suzuki violin at a very early age. She continues to share her love of music as she enters her 20th year as Orchestra Director at Fairforest Middle School. During her tenure there, her students have performed for various events and festivals including the SCMEA Concert Performance Assessment, consistently receiving Superior ratings.
Ms. Dial earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Furman University where she studied with Dr. Thomas Joiner. She received her Master of Music Education from Florida State University where she studied with Elliot Chapo and Dr. Michael Allen. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher for Music. In 2018, Ms. Dial was selected as the District Teacher of the Year for Spartanburg County District 6 after previously serving as Teacher of the Year for Fairforest Middle School. She also served on the South Carolina Teacher Forum.
When recently asked in an article what she loved most about her job, Ms. Dial responded with “I love being able to witness the incredible growth my students make during our years together. As an orchestra teacher, I am most blessed to have the opportunity to teach my students for 3-4 years. From their first moments with me as elementary ‘eager beavers’ to engaging eighth graders ready to begin their next journey as high school students, I am continually amazed and astounded by their beautiful transformations into mature students. Although their core personalities remain the same, their ability to process and articulate ideas grows tremendously. I have front row seats to this amazing journey of creativity”.
Sharon Robinson was born to the union of the late Dea. Walter Jenkins and Mrs. Nellie Talley Jenkins in East Spartanburg. She is the 3rd child of 12 gifted, loving brothers and sisters. She is the mother of 2 sons, Antoine Lamar and Gerrick Lance, 1 daughter-in-law Tawanna, and 13 loving, smart, athletic grandchildren. She loves all her family!
Ms. Robinson graduated from Carver High School the last year before integration of schools. She furthered her education her education in the following ways:
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Associate of Arts from Spartanburg Methodist College
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Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from USC-Spartanburg
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Master of Education in Elementary Education from Converse College.
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Mrs. Robinson taught in Spartanburg School District #3 for 47 years before retiring. She is currently an assistant teacher at Mary H. Wright Elementary School in Spartanburg, SC.
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She is a member of First Baptist Church of Fairforest where she is president of Homebound and assistant chaplin for Pastor's Aide. She is the secretary for the East Spartanburg Sympathy Ministry, NAACP membership chairperson, and an in-home volunteer service worker for Hospice at Spartanburg Regional.