Pamela McKinney's educational journey embodies the perfect blend of agricultural expertise, passionate teaching, and community dedication. With over 40 years in education - 31 years at Grant Career Center followed by 10 years at Georgetown Exempted Village Schools - Pamela has shaped countless lives through her commitment to career-focused education.
Her teaching philosophy is beautifully captured in Theodore Roosevelt's words: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." This principle has guided Pamela throughout her career, helping her building lifelong relationships with students who continue to share their journeys with her years after graduation. Her classroom cultivates not just knowledge but a genuine love of learning, where students develop the curiosity and confidence to create with their own hands.
Pamela's dedication to education began in second grade when she stayed after school to help clean chalkboards. That early connection with a caring teacher inspired her own approach to education. Though she initially questioned her decision to teach horticulture, she persevered and now reflects, "Being a teacher is not just what I do, but who I am."
At Georgetown, Pamela wears many hats - Junior High Agriscience/FFA Advisor, Life Skills instructor, and Coffee Shop Entrepreneurship mentor. She finds joy in withnessing the wonder on 7th graders' faces when they turn cream into butter or watch seeds grow into food they can eat. Parents frequently share photos of their children proudly displaying tobacco stick Christmas trees, homemade bread, or fair projects. When students request recipes to recreate classroom dishes for their families, she knows she's making a lasting impact.
Pamela's innovative contributions to Georgetown include establishing "The Morning Buzz," a student-run coffee shop that teaches entrepreneurship while raising over $2500 for causes like Backpack Buddies and Special Olympics. She's secured grants to create an outdoor classroom and garden where students connect with nature and learn about food sources. As coordinator of the AmeriCorps CRUSH program, she implemented the Day of Balance Mental Health Awareness event, earning recognition as CRUSH Teacher of the Year in 2019.
Beyond the classroom, Pamela's community involvement includes maintaining Georgetown's public flower displays, serving on the Village Tree Committee, and superintending the Junior Fair Baking Contest. She leads the Girl Strong Mentoring Program, providing running clubs and empowerment activities for girls in grades 3-6, and offers afterschool clubs focusing on cooking, stress management, and crafts.
Married to Doug McKinney for 37 years, Pamela is a proud mother of two and a doting "Grammy" to granddaughter, Ripley. In her classroom and community, she continues to plant seeds of knowledge and nurture growth, both literally and figuratively, creating a legacy that will flourish for generations to come.
Georgetown Exempted Village Schools proudly honors Pamela McKinney as Teacher of the Year, recognizing her extraordinary dedication to education, students, and the communtiy.