LOUISE WATERS LCHS Teacher of the Year Louise Waters was recently named LCHS's "Teacher of the Year."

A native of Augusta, Waters holds a Bachelor of Science in physical education as well as a master's degree in intellectual disabilities, both from Augusta State University.

Prior to moving to Lincolnton in 1999, she was an adapted physical education instructor for the Richmond County School System. Since then, she has served as a special education teacher at LCES, LCMS, and LCHS.

In addition to teaching, Waters, along with Athletic Director Larry Campbell and others, established the first soccer program at LCHS in 2003.

Concerning her status as Teacher of the Year at LCHS, the gifted educator said, "I give the credit for this honor to my students, the school system, and the community. I would like to thank them all for their encourunknown agement and support."

As for her calling to teach special education, Waters, whose father was the superintendent at Gracewood State School and Hospital for many years, said, "Our home was a way station for the parents of children at Gracewood. Many parents would come by our house with their children to visit, and we developed personal relationships with them and their children."

She remembers one patient in particular, a man named Fletcher, who was discharged from Gracewood and had nowhere to go. Abandoned by his family at an early age, he was placed at the school/hospital at the time when the facility accepted orphans.

"After he was discharged, he was hired to help around our house with odd jobs such as gardening, home maintenance, and animal care. In many ways, Fletcher became my best friend. He taught me the fundamentals of living in the world with people who are different.

"When Fletcher died of a massive heart attack, I realized what my purpose in life was and committed myself to a professional career working with people with intellectual disabilities and serving as their advocate."

Waters went on to say, "My personal feelings and beliefs about teaching center around the idea that teachers not only change individual lives but can transform families and communities, especially when teaching persons with disabilities."

This year, one of Water's students was crowned Homecoming Queen at LCHS.

In other comments, she said, "There have been many rewards in teaching these very special individuals, but the greatest is to see a student walk across the football field with his regular ed classmates on graduation night to receive his diploma from the school superintendent, with proud parents and members of the community in the stands watching."

Since making Lincolnton her home, the Teacher of the Year has been a member of the Lincoln County Arts Council, a volunteer with the Lincoln County Historical Society, and a local coordinator for the Georgia Special Olympics. She continues to serve as a member of the Georgia Games Management Team.

She and Norman Waters, her husband of 24 years, have two sons, Ross, a junior at Georgia Southern University, and Scott, a senior at LCHS.

When she is not teaching or volunteering, Waters enjoys gardening, fishing, and cooking for the Pinelawn Hunting Club.