Sheri Simms:
CLASS OF 1987
Mary Persons High SchoolClass of 1987
Forsyth, GA
Georgia Southern UniversityClass of 1992
Statesboro, GA
Gordon Junior CollegeClass of 1989
Barnesville, GA
Sheri's Story
School
It's funny, how this website prompts your school bio, starting with the question, "Who was your biggest crush?" I doubt very many people were aware that I had any crushes. My biggest crush was Trent Buff, and he's known that since about a year after we graduated, but I was actually pretty generally boy crazy. I can't really claim to have gotten over it, either. I just find men easier to be around than women, possibly because I have 3 brothers, and no sisters. I don't even have any female cousins close to my age. Consequently, most of my friends have always been guys. I don't find very many women with whom I can relax and be myself, so when I do, those friendships are very precious to me, and I keep those few friends for life.
I like the second prompt, here, "Which teacher inspired you most?" I chose Mrs. Bass as STAR Teacher, when I was named STAR Student, because I liked her. She didn't push me, was always satisfied with my efforts, and didn't insist that I should try harder, when I was already making A's. You wouldn't believe how many teachers did that to me. If I had a 93, it should have been a 97, if I had a 97, there was absolutely no reason why I shouldn't have made a 100. It was infuriating and demoralizing, and I always felt inadequate. I considered suicide, every morning, and started my day by agreeing to give it one more shot. I had to agree with myself that it was always an option, but it wasn't time to give up, yet. The fact that I was still a virgin, and didn't want to die that way, made it easier to choose to live. I had to find new reasons, a few years later, but that's another story.
I seem to have strayed a bit from what I meant to be the topic of that last paragraph, but my train of thought just traveled along that track, and I described the scenery. I hope you don't mind the stream of consciousness style. I got lost in explaining the impact of teachers trying to challenge me, in contrast to the motherly comfort I got ...Expand for more
from Mrs. Bass. She never inspired me, though, and for that reason, I probably should not have named her as my STAR Teacher. I have thought for a long time that I should have chosen Cindy Gibson, the Chorus teacher. Chorus was the only thing I did all 4 years of high school - everything else was only 2 years, at most. Mrs. Gibson had the best claim on influencing me, if for no other reason, just because she taught me the longest.
That being said, the teacher who inspired me the most was JJ Daniel. She had a way of getting us excited about what she was saying. Her focus was intense, and she held us spellbound. I have substitute taught, and worked as a Parapro, and I try to hold students' attention by enthusiasm, the same way she did. I am considered "good in the classroom," so it must be working. She also made a comment, once, that included me among her theater students. I pointed out to her that I wasn't actually one of that group, and she answered that she thought of me as one of them. I went on to major in theater, although I eventually changed my major, then quit without a degree. I still do a show, occasionally, and will be playing Juliet's nurse in a production of "Romeo and Juliet," in Statesboro, this fall. I may also be involved in founding a dinner theater within the next year, if all goes according to plan.
"And if you could do it all over again, would you?" If I couldn't change anything about it, I don't think I would survive it a second time. If I did change things, then I wouldn't be who I am. I'm far from perfect, but I know myself, you know what I mean? I've grown accustomed to my own flaws and failures, and I think they're a pretty good trade for the particular assortment of strengths, virtues, and niceties I possess. I finally like myself, now. If I'd had the option a decade ago to go back to high school, and change everything that went wrong, I'd have jumped at the chance, but no longer. My life's not perfect, but it's mine.
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