A True Laker for Life

This school year we are losing a beloved member of our staff, Mrs. Maria Vincent, our guidance office secretary. Many students can talk non-stop about the amazing person Mrs. Maria is and how much of an impact she has had on our students, staff, and the school.   

Mrs. Maria has worked in the Calloway County school system for 25 years; of those 25 years, Mrs. Maria spent thirteen years at the Calloway County preschool, two years at our board of education, and the other ten years here at Calloway County High School. Since her retirement is fast approaching (the end of September), I recently sat down with the long-time Calloway employee to reflect on her time in our school system.  

I asked Mrs. Maria what she would miss most about working at CCHS. She told me she would miss the students, the staff, and the atmosphere here at the high school.  

I then asked her how this job has impacted her more personally, and she told me that she once was a very shy, guarded person, but this job helped her branch out more. Mrs. Maria is one of the first faces new students at our school see, so she has had a significant impact on new students' first experiences in our school system. While trying to make the experience a welcoming one, she opened up in the process.  

I wanted to know where Mrs. Maria would be spending her time after her retirement this fall. She explained to me that she would be spending lots of time with her “G-Babies”, her grandchildren, and spend more time exploring her life and herself.  

Mrs. Maria is proud of getting to work with students from all stages of their school career. For example, the timing of her tenure at CCHS worked out perfectly. She has been able to see the same students begin Calloway County Schools at the preschool level and leave the district as high school graduates. She enjoyed how the timing worked out perfectly, so the students she was with in the preschool were here at the high school when she got here. Getting to see her previous students go through high school and graduation has been one of Mrs. Maria’s favorite accomplishments. She also loves to see how new students begin to branch out throughout the school year; she loves watching new students begin to make new friends and find a sense of community in our school.  

Students, staff, and administrators will all miss Mrs. Maria. Mere words cannot express enough love and gratitude to Mrs. Maria for all she has done for this school.  We are sad to see her go, but we wish her well.  

Mrs. Maria will forever be a Laker for Life.  

 Caption: Mrs. Maria, a beloved member of the Laker staff, in the Guidance office here at Calloway County High School. Students and staff will miss Mrs. Maria’s big smile and calm presence. Photo by Kamren Baker