Teacher of the Week: Carrie Buffkin, Jessica Edge, Casey Waddell

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Learning to dust yourself off and stand up again is a lesson most everyone has had to overcome at some point or another. Then, once you get back up, it’s about learning to adapt and adjust to your surroundings.

In early January the Old Dock Elementary School community was devastated. A building that had been part of not only the landscape but home to more than text books and desks since 1926 was burned to the ground in a matter of hours.
“I just feel kind of homeless. That was my home,” said first grade teacher Carrie Buffkin. “I had 13 years of all sorts of material. Teachers borrow, lend, and steal from each other. I had so many prized possessions in there from older teachers that I valued so much.”

Two other teachers, along with Buffkin, lost everything in the fire.

“I came out and I could see the flames, and everything was engulfed. You know, just standing there watching your classroom burn is kind of difficult,” said first grade teacher Jessica Edge.

As difficult Buffkin, Edge, and second grade teacher Casey Wadell say it was to stand and watch the flames helplessly, they have since been encompassed by the support of the community as they rebuild.

“This is actually my first year teaching at Old Dock, so it has been extremely nice to have the amount of support of people I don’t even know,” said Waddell.

The teachers say they’ve felt a range of emotions over the last couple of months, but the day after the fire they soldiered on for their students.

“They need that leadership to know everything is going to be okay,” said Buffkin.

Although being displaced and having to be based out of a mobile classroom certainly comes with challenges, the teachers are able to see the positive from this situation.

“The materials are nice to have but you always have more knowledge and things that you know that you can use. You don’t have to have anything,” said Edge.

As these educators persevere, working to get back up on their feet once again, we applaud them for their hard work by honoring the trio as our Teachers of the Week.