FORT JACKSON, S.C. (March 26, 2015) -- Kerrie Ammons, speech and language pathologist, or SLP, at C.C. Pickney Elementary School, and Richard Horah, librarian at Pierce Terrace Elementary School, were selected from more than 45 educators as the installation's teachers of the year for the current school year.
Ammons has been working in her field for 15 years. Before joining the staff at Pickney five years ago, she was an SLP with Lexington School District 2 in West Columbia. She earned a bachelor's degree in SLP and Audiology from Columbia College.
"While at Columbia College, I was told by a professor that I would make a good SLP," Kerrie said. "I said, 'OK,' and I've never looked back."
She went on to attend the University of South Carolina where she earned a master's degree in communication disorders followed by a PhD in language and literacy in 2013.
"I was taught to recognize the difference between cultural and medical issues. You have a diagnosis if you see me," Kerrie said. "Most of my students have problems with comprehension, vocabulary and language."
Ammons has 42 students on her current caseload. Each student sees her for 30 minutes, twice a week.
"I write my objectives so the children experience success," Kerrie said. "I celebrate even the smallest gain because it is important, and these kids matter."
In her spare time, Kerrie enjoys traveling and spending time with her two daughters, Hannah Kate and Lilly, and her husband, Greg.
Horah has been involved in libraries and teaching for most of his professional career.
"My motto is to always teach," Horah said. "It is important to set the foundations for library skills as early as possible."
Before joining the staff at Pierce Terrace, he was an instructional technology and reference librarian at Armstrong State University and a classroom teacher for grades four through six, and school librarian with the Savannah-Chatham Public School System in Savannah, Georgia.
"I wanted to get into my own library," Horah said. "I made the right choice accepting the position at Pierce Terrace."
Horah earned a master's degree in library and information science from the University of North Texas in 2010 and a master's degree in instructional technology and design from Georgia Southern University in 2002.
"It's important for students to learn that information comes in a wide variety of sources," Horah said. "I teach them about both electronic and print (media)."
Horah said working in the DOD dependents school system gives him the ability to give more instructional attention to his students because of smaller class sizes.
"I love sharing my knowledge -- watching them grow," Horah said. "I absolutely love putting books in children's hands."
In his spare time, he enjoys reading, model railroading, biking, swimming, academic research and writing.
Ammons and Horah will go on to compete for the DOD Education Activity South Carolina/Fort Stewart/Cuba District teacher of the year.
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C. C. Pinckney Elementary School
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