Retired Educator Named Woodstock Citizen Of The Year

WOODSTOCK, GA — Bonny Keheley spent decades as an educator in the Cherokee County School System preparing young children to be successful in the world once they come of age. Keheley, now retired, said she not only tried to give her students the academic skills needed to become productive members of society, but she also instilled in them the importance of getting involved in their own communities.

Keheley's dedication to her profession and her passion for Woodstock earned her Preservation Woodstock's Barbara G. Ingram Citizen of the Year Award. This distinction is given to a resident who has been active in preserving the city's heritage and history. Keheley was recognized Dec. 1 at the city's impromptu Evening with Santa event held at the Chambers at Center. The winner is normally recognized during the annual Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights Celebration, but Saturday's stormy weather forced the city to cancel its outdoor festivities.

Keheley said she was "extremely honored" to have the award bestowed upon her.

"I never imagined anything like this for me, but what I keep trying to impress upon everyone is that I hope I represent educators in all of this because I haven't done anything that others aren't doing in the classroom day in and day out," she added.

Keheley is the 22nd recipient of the award, which dates back to 1997 when Woodstock celebrated its centennial. The award is named for Barbara Granger Ingram, a founding member of the Woodstock Centennial Committee, which was tasked with planning a year's worth of events that celebrated its 100 years of existence. Ingram's death in late 1996 prompted the establishment of the award to honor her memory while also recognizing the contributions made by others in the years to come. The centennial committee was later renamed Preservation Woodstock.

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Keheley, the city said, has become "the face of historic preservation" at Woodstock Elementary School. While at Woodstock, she began the annual history walking field trip to Woodstock Visitors Center at Dean's Store. This allowed Woodstock Elementary School students to learn more about the city's history in a unique and engaging way.

The field trip has now expanded to students also visiting the Chambers at City Center to learn about government operations and the Park at City Center to get a lesson on police and fire activities. Woodstock notes that more than 2,000 elementary school students have been introduced to its history though the efforts of Keheley and other school faculty and staff members. All departments, including art, music, and social studies have added to the overall atmosphere that acknowledges the school’s history along with the city’s heritage, Woodstock said.

Keheley, who is a member of the INWDSTK (formerly Main Street Woodstock) Board of Directors, said any time educators are honored, whether it's through community-wide awards or by a student who gives them a drawing, it "impacts us so deeply." Any time teachers can share with the public who they are and what they do on a daily basis can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of the role educators have on every facet of life.

That's why she introduced a program at Woodstock Elementary that allowed volunteers to come into the school and help teachers with small tasks. This, she said, helps with giving students more individualized attention and allow for more opportunities of small-group instruction. She used her involvement with INWDSTK to bring community stakeholders into the classroom, so they could get a first-hand experience of life inside 21st century schools. This also gave volunteers a chance to talk with students about their careers, which could allow the youngsters to begin thinking about their futures.

Keheley said she hopes her role as a teacher allowed her students to see the importance of getting an education and investing in communities where they choose to put down roots.

"I want children to appreciate where they live, and that’s what I tried to teach for the (last) roughly 40 years," she said. "I wanted them to be vested in their community."

Image via Cherokee County School District