Americus History Teacher Gets Golden Apple

    Susan Welch has been in the teaching business for 35 years.  Upon graduating from college she started her teaching career at Americus High School.  In 1974 she landed a job teaching history at Southland Academy where she’s been ever since.  When News 3 presented her with the Golden Apple, her response was, “It’s really made my day, my week, my month, my year!  I just think it’s wonderful that someone thought enough of me to want to nominate me.“  Welch describes her teaching philosophy this way.  “It’s just like with life.  It’s what you make of it.  If you want history to be fun, it will be fun and it will come alive for everyone including yourself.“  Clint Anthony is a seventh grader at Southland Academy.  Anthony says, “Mrs. Welch is a great teacher.  She’s nice.  She can tell you anything you need to know about Georgia history.“  Eleventh grader Lauren Shivers loves her teaching style.  “She explains everything and never has to look at a note.  She knows it from her head.“ Welch is also Southland’s cheerleading coach, which may explain how active she is in the classroom.  She says, “I move a lot.  I can’t stay still.  And probably one of the few professions where you can move around and talk all the time is teaching.  So it fit me perfectly.“  After 35 years is she ready to retire?  Welch doesn’t think so.  “I don’t know what I would do.  Teaching keeps me out of trouble.  I love it!“