Mike Wolanin | The Republic Columbus East special education teacher Peggy Myers poses for a portrait at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Myers has been named as an inductee into the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Hall of Fame.
“Equality isn’t being the exact same. Equality is having the same opportunities and having the opportunity to give to your community.”
Those were the words of Columbus East special education teacher Peggy Myers, when asked what she would want to tell people about her field.
“We need to have high expectations of everyone,” she said. “We do of all other students, and my students are not any different. Where we meet them may be a little bit different, but the growth they can make and the amount they can learn from where they are can be just equal.”
Myers’ commitment to inclusion was just one of the qualities highlighted at Monday’s Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. board meeting, as she and former BCSC superintendent John Quick were inducted into the Education Hall of Fame.
This honor is given to teachers, former teachers or administrators who have made “a noteworthy and extraordinary employment contribution to the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. which merits recognition for excellence.”
Superintendent Jim Roberts said letters of nomination for Myers commended her as a life-changer, mentor, friend and “a true humanitarian and advocate.”
“We have a very strong special education department period, and Peggy has been an integral part of that for the many years that she has taught with us,” said Roberts.
Myers began teaching in 1993. She taught for two years at Columbus North High School and then she transferred to East, where she has been a special education teacher for 28 years.
When asked how she’s seen the field grow over the course of her career, she replied, “I’ve seen the services grow to fit the needs of the individuals who have disabilities to better give them the tools they need to advocate for themselves and their future and to be lifelong learners. Also, there’s a greater degree of inclusion in the general ed classrooms.”
During her time in education, Myers has been involved in a number of initiatives focused on inclusion, such as the Columbus East coffee cart, which teaches social and employment skills. At present, she’s working on converting the program into a coffee shop, which will be located in an unused concessions space at the high school and include other beverage offerings.
Special education students, culinary arts students and business students will all work together to run the shop.
“It’s so exciting because it will give real-world employment right there at the school for some of our folks who, going outside of the school … it can be hard to find jobs for them,” said Myers.
While the school isn’t allowed to pay students, funds from the shop will go to stock a “company store,” and students will be able to purchase items using a virtual account.
Myers’ work with the coffee cart was mentioned in her letters of nomination and included on her Hall of Fame plaque.
She said that it’s “overwhelming and humbling” to receive this recognition.
“Thank you for allowing me to work with my students,” she said at Monday’s school board meeting. “That’s the greatest honor.”
