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Mrs Currence
Alumni
Ask any student at Montcalm High school "Who is the teacher that you like the minute that you meet?" The answer is "Mrs. Currence." Mrs. Lovetta Currence is the daughter of Ray and Lovetta Taylor of Montcalm. She lived across from the Montcalm Food Store with her 7 brothers and sisters. Her father owned Taylor's Drug Store. Lovetta attended Montcalm Elementary School until the third grade when her parents moved to Bluefield, WV. As a young girl she always loved to read and was inspired by drama. She graduated Bluefield High School and then went to Bluefield State College. While at Bluefield State, Lovetta earned her BS in English and a BS in Criminal Justice. Later on she furthered her studies and earned her Master's Degree in Language Arts at West Virginia University's College of Graduate Studies. She was once a real estate agent in WV and VA.
Lovetta met her husband, Butch when she was hired by his father to work at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Butch has always supported her emotionally and she credits him with being the one who kept her from quitting college. He told her to "Hang in there. You can make it another day." Together they have a son, Brian who is a Deputy Sheriff in Lexington County in Columbia SC. Brian and his wife, Kelli have a son. B.J. B.J. is Mrs. Currence's only grandchild and you can tell from the light in her eyes that this child has stolen her heart.
Mr. Currence was 35 before she decided to become a teacher. She has a motto, "Carpe Diem." It is Latin for "Seize the Day!" And no one else could ever be more suited for it. With her vitality and spirit it is easy to why she survived Leukemia. Lovetta loves life and it shows.
Mrs. Currence has traveled all over the world and uses her travels to show her students that "even a girl from small town USA can see the world. Don't give up on your dreams. Poverty is not an excuse for failure. If I can do it, you can do it!" She tells her students, "Study, work hard and I'll work hard with you." The Future Educators of America gave her a blanket that reads, "Teachers touch a life forever." Lovetta teaches Drama Class, Technical Writing, English 8 and English 9. She has also taught History and Newspaper. Two years ago, when the Drama Class began, she told her students "I won't ask you to do anything that I won't do. If I can be a tree, then you can be a tree." She further stated, "If I can get these students to overcome their fear of being humiliated, then there is nothing they can't do!"
Lovetta is an avid "Rocket Boys" fan and has earned the nickname, Rocketta. She visits any gathering of the original Rocket Boys and uses Homer Hickam as an inspiration for her classes. "If this young man from War, WV can fulfill his dream and become a Rocket Scientist, then you can follow your dreams." "I chose to come to Montcalm and I love it here. I love these kids. I have had other offers, but I never take them. I have come full circle. I am home."
Dr. Deborah Akers and George Keatley came to Montcalm High School to present Lovetta with the Mercer County Teacher of the Year Award for 1999-2000. It was quite a surprise for Mrs. Currence. MHS is proud and honored to have Lovetta Currence at our school.