CACHE, Okla_Imagine getting
a personal phone call from the Governor of Oklahoma. For one high school
teacher in Cache, that actually happened to her on the first day of school. Debbie
Darnell teaches English, this is her 40th year in Cache. That's why Governor Mary
Fallin called, to congratulate her for all those years of service at the same
school, for her entire career.
Mrs. Darnell
has been teaching at Cache
High School since 1973. She
said in all her years of teaching she has never been recognized for her hard
work with such an honor. Gov. Fallin caught wind of her big accomplishment when
her husband called the Governor's office just to let them know what his wife
has been doing. She said she never actually thought anything would be done, but
when she got the phone call, she said it started her year off on the right
foot.
Thousands of
papers have been graded, countless parent- teacher conferences have been
attended and hundreds of faces have come through the doors of Mrs. Darnell's English
classroom.
"It's just
the relationship you can have with the kids out here, it's a small school, my
philosophy really is to get to know your
kids, and if you know your kids then you're going to do a good job in your
classroom."
That's the same
philosophy Mrs. Darnell has been using for the past 40 years. It's something
she has never strayed away from and one that Governor Fallin thought was
important enough to give her some recognition.
"It was an
honor to be called. It's not everyday that the Governor of the State of Oklahoma calls you, and
it's nice to know she took the time to call me."
Her fellow
teachers at Cache also admire what she's accomplished, including one, who is a
former student.
"This is
an occupation that is difficult to stay in it's not financially rewarding but
it is personally rewarding and she has done something for each year she's been
here people can come back and attribute some of their success or all of them to
her," Ann Mary Gibbs said.
Darnell said
while working at Cache she has come across many people and plenty of change but
there is not one thing in her whole career at Cache she would do differently.
"I
wouldn't change it, it has been a heck of a journey. Its been fun."
Darnell said she is not sure when retirement may be for her but she plans
on teaching as long as she is passionate about it.
