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Principal named for yearly honor
Recognizing her dedication and service to the community, Mountain Home's Black History Committee will honor the principal at East Elementary School during a banquet Friday evening.
Karen Gordon will receive the committee's person of the year award during the 27th Annual Black History Month Banquet, which begins at 6:30 p.m. that evening at the Mountain Home Elks Lodge.
"Karen is passionate about making positive changes in professional learning communities and being an intuitive advocate for students," according to a representative with the local heritage committee.
Gordon received a bachelor of science degree in education from Centenary College of Louisiana, and went on to complete her a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Idaho. In 1995, she began her elementary teaching career with the Caddo Parish School District in Louisiana and was selected as Walnut Hill Elementary and Middle School's teacher of the year in 1998.
From 2000 to 2004, she taught third grade with the Department of Defense schools at Misawa Air Base, Japan, before moving to Mountain Home with her family seven years ago where she started teaching seventh grade English for the Mountain Home School District.
During her career as a teacher, she's earned a number of honors, including the school district's top educator of the year for the 2009 to 2010 school year.
She is also a fellow of the 2007 Boise State Writing Project and enjoys creative writing and poetry.
She was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. -- an international organization of professional educators. Gordon is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., served on the Minority Affairs Committee for the educators' association in Idaho, and is part of St. Luke's Elmore Medical Center's women's auxiliary.
"A natural born motivator, she strives to be the best example that she can be and never misses an opportunity to learn from others," committee members said.
Gordon recently celebrated her 27th wedding anniversary with her husband, Vencent Gordon, a retired Air Force veteran who serves as a minister with the Mountain Home Church of Christ. Their son, Travis, serves as a member of the Air Force Honor Guard. Their daughter, Tracey, is a sophomore at Idaho State University. They also have a granddaughter, Xena.