Great examples of great educators

There are a lot of things right about Columbia County.

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Low crime rate. Comfortable cost of living. Bearable taxes. Great schools.

The county's schools, in fact, are usually item No. 1 listed by new residents. A working coalition of students, parents, educators and administrators make top-notch schools possible, and the county's public school system recently recognized the efforts of two of its best employees.

Allison Palfy, an early intervention teacher, earns the distinction as the county's first Teacher of the Year from relatively young Cedar Ridge Elementary in Grovetown.

Her classroom, geared for children who need extra help, is a place where those children don't have time for wandering minds and inattention. The judges observing her techniques during the Teacher of the Year evaluations lauded Palfy for her ability to keep those children engaged in their lessons.

Similarly, Harlem High School's Sonji Aycock transitioned from classroom teacher to media specialist to explore her passion for integrating technology with education.

Both educators understand what classroom old-timers have always said: You can't open a child's head and pour in knowledge. Students have to take an active role in their own education. The daily efforts of Palfy and Aycock exemplify the professional attitudes of hundreds of educators who work every day to engage students in their own educations and, as a result, their own futures.

Congratulations to Palfy and Aycock, and best of luck as both go to the next level of competition.