Blog
Margaret Simerly is an inspiration, a wonderful example of perseverance, determination and commitment. She is a passionate lead teacher in Avery County, and after jumping every hurdle in her path, she’s a community college graduate.
Margaret’s early childhood journey began in high school when she was first able to take a child care class. She said, “You don’t know if early childhood is for you until you get your feet wet. After I took the class in high school, I realized I was good at this. We are teachers and not just babysitters. You have to have that mindset. We are really able to make a difference for children and that is so rewarding to me. I’ve been in child care my whole career.”
She knew that having a degree was important for her lead teacher role and would help her excel in her chosen field. “Parents want to see that you really are a teacher, not just fly by night,” she said.
“We know what we are doing. Having both education and experience shows in the classroom, but if I had not had WAGE$, I might not have finished my degree. It helped me pay for it. It took me a long time because I couldn’t afford it being a divorced mother of two. I got TEACH and WAGE$ and they really helped me finish. These programs benefit both participants and the center. TEACH helps pay for school, and WAGE$ helps incentivize it. Both programs were so easy to work with.”
Being able to afford school was just one challenge she faced in her effort to obtain a degree. She was also juggling her family and a full-time job, and then Helene hit. “Helene hit us hard, and I was trying to finish my student teaching, and I just couldn’t,” Margaret said. “I had to stop temporarily. The site closed, but I really wanted to get my degree and get five stars for my program. We had families that lost everything. The children were so impacted. One child lost her parents. Nothing was the same. We were all just in a bad spot.”
Tragedy struck again, though, during this same time. Margaret’s home caught on fire, and she lost everything.
“Power was out, and when my house finally got it back, there was a power surge and my house just exploded. We had just left. If we had been there, we would not have made it out. Everyone is trying to build back, so it’s hard because everyone is in the same position. It’s been a year. We just now are getting started. There isn’t the manpower or the material. And in the midst of all this, my twin sister had a stroke. She was in the hospital for months and is paralyzed on the right side. I’m trying to help her.”
Margaret was determined to rise above these challenges and achieve her goal. “I picked back up with my student teaching when I could and I ultimately did get my five stars! I scored very well when that assessment was done. I finished my degree despite all this. My WAGE$ specialist was so supportive during this time. She helped me stay positive and strong. She gave me the boost to get across that line. She let me cry on the phone and got me through it. I had so many hurdles. I couldn’t even go to my graduation, but I was just so happy when I got that degree in the mail.”
Because of her experience, Margaret has a message for other teachers:
“Don’t give up. You just keep going. You’ll get there eventually. If you have great programs like TEACH and WAGE$ behind you, keep going. They will help you and they want you to succeed. You can do it.”
Margaret is in the initial phase of her rebuilding process, and she used WAGE$ money to put a down payment on the flooring for her house. She said, “WAGE$ is an incentive. I worked hard. It’s a reminder that I made it, that I did well. I also put it back into my classroom and the children I serve. My kids helped me get it, so I want them to benefit too!”
She wants the WAGE$ funders to know how grateful she is and how much WAGE$ has meant to her life and her community. “Please don’t take it away,” she said. “It is very needed. We are very appreciative. We are a small county, and we don’t have any other kind of help. It’s one of the best programs I’ve ever seen. Thank you.”
