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My name is Marcia Lee Blizzard and I am the ART Teacher at Cyril B Busbee Elementary/AL Corbett Middle Schools. This school year marks 36 years of teaching for me. I graduated from Wagener-Salley High School in 1979, attended Clemson University for three semesters, and then earned a B.A. in Arts Education from Columbia College.

I began my teaching career in January of 1985 at Lower Richland High School where I had the pleasure of sponsoring a Sophomore Homeroom and taught ART to 10th, 11, and 12th graders. During my first year of teaching, I completed my Master’s degree in Elementary Education at the University of South Carolina.

My mother [Margie Blizzard] desired for my sister [Melesia Farkas] and I to teach with her in Aiken County before she retired; therefore, I transferred to RSM Elementary/Middle School where I taught Kindergarten through 8th Grade ART and the GT Class. While at RSM, I also taught 8th grade – 12th grade Reading and Math in the Summer Migrant Program and continued taking Education Courses through College of Charleston and The Citadel, as well as, Gifted and Talented Education Courses at Furman University to earn 30 hours beyond a Master’s Degree.

In 1988-1989, I transferred to the Wagener Schools and taught ART at Busbee Elementary and Wagener-Salley High School. Like most new teachers, I was given the responsibility of coaching the Cheerleaders and supervising the Yearbook Staff. After my first year at Wagener-Salley, my love for sports opened the door for me to Coach JV Basketball, Varsity Volleyball, and the Lady War Eagles Softball Team. As new teachers [including some of my former players] joined us at Wagener-Salley High, I was able to confidently step aside and direct my focus on teaching ART and of course, continue coaching Softball.

Teaching ART at Wagener-Salley was rewarding. The success of my Elementary and High School ART students, as well as, the GT Courses taken at Furman – created an opportunity for me to become the Visual Arts Director [acGATEWAY Co-Director] of Aiken County’s summer gifted and talented program. So… my summer teaching position changed from teaching reading and math to supervising classrooms full of creative/talented artists. Working with the acGATEWAY Teachers and Students was beneficial to me as an artist and ART Educator.

When I have time, I like to watch movies. The movies I enjoy the most are the ones where a line of the actor/actress resonates long after the movie is over. In the movie, "Maid in Manhattan," the butler said, "Sometimes we are forced in directions we ought to have found for ourselves." With no intention of leaving acGATEWAY, the district chose to restructure aspects of the Program, terminating my positon as Co-Director. This decision provided free time for me to pursue my dream of international missions – of "being a part of bringing hope and healing to various regions of the world." Since 2005, I have been going overseas each summer with Global Ventures [Catoosa, Oklahoma] to work in schools and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unreached. And… I love it!

Did I want to quit coaching? No, but I knew it was the right time. Did I enjoy the acGATEWAY Program? Definitely… Sometimes opportunities prepare us for life, but most times… life prepares us for opportunities!

Teaching is my passion!

Coaching/Teaching/Ministry – it’s all the same!

You’re changing lives and improving yours!

Many there are, who have reached for the stars in pursuing their ultimate dream.

Then faltered and fell, unable to rise, when the challenge proved more than it seemed.

You cannot be strong and certain in life if you don’t slip and fall now and then.

What good does it do if you stumble and fall if you won’t rise and try once again.

The sky is the limit, to dream is okay, and the future is as big as the sky.

How can you know what your future might bring if you’re not even willing to try?

The greatest of all have made some mistakes, but the secret to winning is this.

To be willing to rise and try once again, and next time your mark you won’t miss….

                                                                                    Reach for the Stars, written by Gerald R. Hill.