This week’s spotlight is on McCleary kindergarten teachers Mrs. Amanda Wente and Mrs. Nicole Persinger.
Mrs. Wente has taught for 15 years at McCleary Elementary. Before that she taught one year of fifth grade in North Carolina and one year each on the third grade and kindergarten level in Martinsville. Mrs. Persinger has taught kindergarten at McCleary for 14 years in addition to one year in first grade and one year as a special education resource assistant in fifth grade. Both special ladies spent a lot of time babysitting and teaching younger children in church. They realized that teaching was their calling in life and pursued their teaching degrees.
Mrs. Persinger is married to Eddie and they have three adult children. Dustin is the guidance counselor at McCleary. Derek is finishing his degree to be a teacher and Megan is finishing her degree in medical coding. Mrs. Persinger loves to spend time with her family. She also enjoys reading, sewing, camping and taking care of others.
Mrs. Wente is married to Duane and they have one son, Isaiah. Isaiah is in fifth grade at McCleary. She and her family love camping and baseball. Every summer they travel to Cincinnati to watch the Reds play ball. In her spare time, Mrs. Wente loves to read and bake.
Both teachers love teaching in beautiful Craig County. “I enjoy the close community and friendly people. I feel safe and part of something good. I love being able to teach my students, go to their home games and then visit them at the grocery store. I feel like Craig is one big family. I truly care about my students and feel proud when I see them succeed, graduate and start families of their own. I will always be a cheerleader for children and education”, states Mrs. Persinger.
Mrs. Wente added, “For me, teaching in Craig felt like coming home. I graduated from CCHS in 1992. I love the closeness of the faculty. The other teachers are like my family, and I know I can go to them for advice or help. The best part is I get to teach kindergarten! I love this age. Their energy keeps me young.”
-Submitted by Andrea Jennings
