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Birth
I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. My parents names are Rita and Jim Hurst. I have one older brother who was born on November 25, 1966. I only lived in Shreveport for one week, and then we moved to Norcross, Georgia. -
Parents Divorce
My parents divorced when I was 8 years old. Although I was upset, everything worked out because both of my parents would remarry and I would then have two step sisters and two step brothers. -
Graduated from High School
I graduated from Norcross High School in May of 1989. While in high school I was in the marching band and my favorite subject was English. I applied and was accepted to Georgia Tech and Agnes Scott College. I wanted to attend Georgia Tech because I was interested in becoming an aerospace engineer. I finally decided on Agnes Scott. -
Transferred to Berry College
I made the decision to transfer to Berry College because I wanted to major in Early Childhood Education, and Agnes Scott did not offer that degree. I has never visited Berry, and I was shocked when I discovered the campus was "in the country" and cows were in the fields. -
Met Owen
Owen and I met at a "Welcome Back" picnic at Berry College. The first time we met, I never would have imagined we would marry one day! -
Graduated from College
I graduated from Berry College, with a degree in Early Childhood Education, in May of 1994. I was offered a job at the Berry Elementary Lab School teaching fourth grade. -
My First Day of Teaching
My first day of teaching was in late August of 1994. I was extremely nervous, but I had a small, sweet class. The lab school was innovative, and the students completed a lot of reading and writing in the classroom. Each of them had portfolios instead of numerical grades. The school was beautiful, and my classroom window provided a breath taking view of Frost Chapel on Berry College's mountain campus. -
Dad Passed Away
My dad passed away on September 9, 1994. He was only 52 years old and died from lung cancer. This was a difficult time in my life, and took place during my first week of teaching. My family and friends were very supportive and helped me through this tragic event. -
Married
Owen and I were married at the chapel at Berry College. We had a huge wedding, and I really enjoyed planning the event. I remember being upset when the day ended. We went to Destin, Florida for our honeymoon, and then Owen headed to Michigan for the summer to complete turtle research. -
Moved to Athens
Owen and I moved to Athens during the summer of 1997. He was working on his Masters degree at UGA, and I taught first grade at South Jackson Elementary School.