Gretchen Cotton Wiggins -Chumuckla Elementary Rookie of the Year
Rookie of the Year for Chumuckla Elementary is Gretchen Cotton Wiggins. Gretchen is currently a Second Grade Teacher. She has been with Santa Rosa County: for two years teaching.
She graduated from the University of West Florida in May 2010 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. Then Gretchen completed one practicum at Bagdad Elementary, three practicums and her Student Teaching at Chumuckla Elementary.
Gretchen was born and raised in Chumuckla, where her grandparents, parents, brother and herself all attended Chumuckla school. She went on from Chumuckla and attended Central for grades 7-12. Gretchen was voted Miss Central High School, Most Outstanding Senior Girl, and the 2006-2007 Homecoming Queen. She recently married in July and now lives with her husband, Wesley Wiggins, in Bratt.
When asked why she went into teaching Gretchen had this to say, “I have always loved school and I love children! I have a passion for helping others and I love watching young minds grasp new concepts for the first time.
Since I have started teaching, I told my daddy and momma there has not been one day that I have not wanted to get up and go to work. I love my job! I love teaching! Every day is a new adventure and the kids make the ride worthwhile!
I have to say my greatest influence to become a teacher was my Granddaddy Cotton. He was so proud of his education and of the fact that he had learned to read. While riding in the car, he read ever sign we passed and while watching television, he would read every credit line. Every afternoon as a child, I would get off the school bus at my grandma and granddaddy’s house. I would play school and they were my class. There were many days that I would turn the television off, pull a chair up in front of it, and read to them. I was their youngest grandchild, which meant I was the last one to graduate from high school. It was almost as if my Granddaddy was waiting for me to finish up my high school career, because I graduated high school in May 2007 and Granddaddy died in August 2007. I know he is smiling down on me now! “
One of Gretchen’s main goals for herself at this point in her teaching career, is to continue learning and working hard so that she can be the best teacher for her students! “I want to be like many of the teachers that I had throughout my school years-caring, encouraging, loving, and passionate about my job!”, Gretchen stated.
Congrats Gretchen !