Last Updated on 12/1/2008

Published on 5/4/2008
Written by Scott Harper

Julie West, a teacher in the 4 and 5-year-olds program at Pleasant Hill Elementary School, says her main goal for her career is to do the best she can to get her students ready to learn all they can by the time they enter kindergarten.

West, one of the five finalists for the title of 2008 Georgetown County Teacher of the Year, has been in education for 28 years.

West -- one of seven children -- began her career at Lakewood Elementary School in Surfside Beach and was later hired in Georgetown County to work at McDonald Elementary School and then Deep Creek Elementary, which is now Pleasant Hill Elementary, where she has taught for about 20 years.

West's inspiration to go into the education profession came from her sister, Patricia Candal, who taught at many levels through the years. She was about 15 years older than West and would sometimes let her accompany her to the classroom. West said it was those experiences that helped her decide her career path.

She said she still calls her older sister for advice any time she is moved to a new grade level or begins a new program or curriculum.

Because she is the first teacher for PHES students entering the school system, West knows her job of laying a good foundation is very important.

"We spend a lot time doing things that make a strong literacy program. Kindergarten teachers say it makes a big difference."

Helping create literate students is one of West's top priorities.

"I am concerned that we still have students in 3rd grade who are still struggling with reading. If they can't read, they can't do their other subjects," she said while explaining why it's so important to teach children to read as young as possible.

In order to help improve herself in the classroom, West has continued to take courses while juggling her duties as a wife to her husband Ricky and a mother to their children. Richard West is now 25 and his sister Christen Guardado lives in Conway but West still has a daughter, Michelle -- an 8th grader -- at home.

West recently received her National Board Certification, a milestone of which she is proud.

She said she continued to further her education through the years "to stay abreast of current trends so I can have the best practices for my students."

Besides her sister, West said her Christian upbringing is credited for her success.

"I feel because of the spiritual element in our family, it caused us to develop intellectually. We were always taught positive character traits like love and joy and peace. That has been an important part of our background that helped us grow and learn," she said.

When asked how it felt being a top five finalist, West said it's "very honoring and humbling at the same time because I know we have a lot of hard-working teachers here and I am just a representative. I feel like what we are doing in the 4 and 5-year-old program here is making a difference."

She also said she has a higher power to thank.

"I need to thank God. He's behind my achievements," she said.

The teacher of the year will be announced Thursday night and will be included in Friday's edition of the Georgetown Times.