ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — With only a few weeks until graduation, high school students at in Orangeburg County School District are ready for the next chapter of their lives.
Many students at The Orangeburg Career & Technology Center credit their passion to Dr. Carolyn Gaillard.
She is known as Dr. G throughout the school.
Dr. G is working with the next generation of educators. That is why she is our next News19 Teacher of the Week.
"She has been such an amazing inspiration to me. She has greatly stoked my passion to become a teacher and even maybe go into early childhood education," says student Ashari Barnes. "She hasn't been anything but a phenomenal role model, something I can truly look up to."
As an educator for 34 years, Dr. G says her students are her family.
"We have that kind of relationship. It's just awesome. It's like one big happy family," says Dr. G. "During the pandemic, it was hard because I like to hug kids. And it was hard not being able to hug. So now I've masked up and we still hug."
Born in Eutawville, Dr. G earned two masters and a doctorate from multiple universities including South Carolina State University and Charleston Southern University.
Dr. G started teaching in Holly Hill before making the move to Orangeburg County where she has been teaching for the past four years.
"I just wanted to change. I never ever thought I would work in Orangeburg, but this is where I'm supposed to be. Sometimes we don't know where we are going. We just start going and God leads you in the direction that he wants you to be in. And this is where I'm supposed to be," says Dr. G.
Dr. G teaches the next generation of educators in her "Early Childhood Education", "Intro to Teaching" and "Family Life Education" classes.
"I come to school just to see her. She's someone that lights up the world everywhere around her. She lights up the hallway. She just likes everything. She's such an amazing teacher and person overall," says Barnes.
Dr. G has a message to her students.
"You are the light that you shine. You are important. You need to make sure that you have plan one, plan two, plan three. Have a plan because if you don't have a plan, you're not going to do anything. We're always here for you. Whenever there's hard times or things just not going the way you think you should. We're here," says Dr. G.
"Thank you for being such an amazing role model and inspiration to me. I just can't really say anything else. But thank you. Because I know without her, I wouldn't be where I am today. I wouldn't have the opportunities that she's blessed me with and graced me with," says Barnes.
If you know a teacher like Dr. G who deserves to be recognized for their hard work in the classroom you can nominate them by emailing us at TOW@WLTX.COM. Tell us what that educator is doing every day to go above and beyond in the classroom.