Hollie McGilton never ignores a text message.
Not because she’s obsessed with her cell phone, mind you.
It’s because it might be from one of her students, the instructor at the Monongalia County Technical Education Center said.
“I have to be available, because of lot them work full-time. They have families.”
McGilton teaches at the Adult Learning Center, which is in part of the tech center campus on Mississippi Street.
Her students are those 30-somethings and other, some older and some younger, who are regaining their academic moorings to get that GED once and for all.
And the new arrivals to Morgantown from distant shores who need to acclimate by learning English.
Should they have to call a little later in the evening, the instructor said, that’s the way it has to be.
“I need to be there for them, because when they call, that’s the only time they have to talk if they have a question over something.”
Last week at a resort in Lewis County, McGilton and Fatima Gindeel, her teaching colleague in the center, both answered the call to appear at the 2024 fall conference of the West Virginia Adult Education Association.
That’s the overseeing group for the teachers who teach what they teach.
As it turns out, they had a spot on the bill.
The spot.
In all modesty, in fact, they were the stars of the evening.
Especially in all modesty, because they didn’t know they were the stars of the evening.
Until their names were called to accept their Program of the Year award.
“Didn’t see it coming,” McGilton chuckled last Thursday.
“I said, ‘Why didn’t anybody tell us?’ and they said, ‘Well, it was a surprise, that’s why.’”
MTEC got accolades for having McGilton and Gindeel on staff — and McGilton and Gindeel got praised for their prowess and compassion as teachers.
McGilton is coming up on her fourth decade as an educator in Mon County Schools.
She’s taught every grade level in the district — yes, really — and spends large portions of her days at the center assisting and schooling students in the journey to their GEDs and the college applications that follow for a lot of them.
Gindeel, whose journey here brought her across an ocean, helps English as a Second Language students navigate their new home.
“Fatima and Hollie both do such a fantastic job,” MTEC’s director Greg Dausch said.
“We’re lucky to have them and our students our lucky to have them.”
Not too long ago, McGilton’s cell phone gave the familiar “ding” — which, of course, she didn’t ignore.
She called the number in the text and an animated voice, attached to a distinct, non-West Virginia accent, answered.
The student, a 32-year-old Canadian transplant, wanted to thank her.
With her help, he forged ahead with his GED. He had just been accepted by WVU, he said.
McGilton didn’t know who was more excited.
“This is why we do this,” she said.
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