2008

know that teachingwould be his chosen profession, Guraedy said teaching college level students would be his call "I had many good pro– fessors who in their own way motivated me to become like them," Guraedy recalled. "These professors opened doors in my mind that I haven't closed to this day." And now that his teach– ing career is winding down, Guraedy said he is ·•most appreciative" to East Central Community College for hiring him to his first and only teach– ingJOb. "There's no better place to teach than right here at EC." Guraedy stated. ·'The faculty and students are great." In appreciation of the "great times" spent at East Central, Guraedy has donated to the College a collection of art works created by him and his students. "Currently there are more than 100 art works of mine and over 200 stu– dent works in various media that were created during a 33-year span. They will be included in the East Central Perma-

nent Art Collection, locat– ed in Burton Library. I sincerely hope that this art legacy at East Central Community College will continue for generations to come," Guraedy stated. In looking toward his retirement, Guraedy said he hopes to spend a lot of time traveling, deer hunt– ing, fishing and garden· ing. He also hopes to devote much time to his individual art skills. He will be joined in retirement by his wife, Linda, a fifth-grade teacher completing 32 years of service with the Newton County School District. They have a son, Jason, an engineer with T.A.C. in Austin, Texas. Jason received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Missis– sippi State University. He is a 2002 graduate of ECCC and a 2000 honor graduate of Newton County High School Guraedy and fellow retiree Tony Kinton, a member of the English faculty, were honored at the College's end-of-the– year luncheon program scheduled on Friday, May . 9.

"However~" he added, "I do not believe that any one new technology will replace a well-motivated classroom teacher." Guraed} provided an example to prove his point "I recently had a stu– dent to transfer here from Texas who had taken an online computer course from a 'I'exas universit;'' Guraedy explained. "She enrolled in our Design IT course which requires the physical use of real brushes and paint. She had trouble to begin with because in her first course the computer had done all the work and thinking for her when it came to mixing and blending colors. StudF>nts first need to learn to paint and brush on their own without utilizing a com– puter." Guraedysaidhe knewa career in education was in his future when he was a teenager participating in Boy Scout activities. "I taught first aid at a Boy Scout camp one sum– mer and thoroughly enjoyed it. I knew then that I would pursue teach– ing as a career," he stated. And not only did he