Willetta M. Gary

Willetta M. Gary is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Pinnacle Achiever in the field of Education and Counseling as an Educator, Counselor, and Case Manager.

Mrs. Gary is a licensed, certified teacher, counselor/case manager, and data entry specialist on all staffing at Langston Hughes School. Her personal commitment to the Special Education Team is very noteworthy. The team is comprised of nurses, social workers, psychologists, speech pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and as needed psychiatrists. Educators, parents, and the community work together to develop and implement effective instruction for student’s Individual Education Plans (IEP). The goal is to maximize academic potential for success for the modern world of occupations. Each student must have a marketable skill for high school, college, trade school, and/or the university. Preparation is the key. The 21st century demands technological skills, moral ideas, and positive attitudes. She utilizes effective counseling in one-on-one and group settings and promotes success. She has used parent volunteers, open houses, report card pick-ups by parents, sport activities, fun nights, and teacher vs student softball games. She maintains partnerships with multiple organizations for the school, including Bank Saving Club (for upper grades), Boy and Girl Scouts, 4H Clubs of America, Student Council, Beta Club, quarterly Award Assemblies, Speakers for Career Day, and Articulation Day 8th Grade.

Mrs. Gary organizes these events and activities to promote citizenship and leadership. They are just great for school spirit, boosting morale and high grade averages. She believes it is necessary for special education students to take part in all school wide programs and activities. Teachers and Special Education Team learn to respect each other for having different opinions when staffing a student for special education services. If they disagree with the findings, they write a dissent. If the majority agrees, they move on to complete placement with monitoring and annual reviews.

As a counselor, Mrs. Gary has established trust, fairness, and support from parents, teachers, and students. She views working with students and their families as a challenge and a joy. Overall, she has a passion and love for promoting SUCCESS. She owes all of her endeavors of academic success and being an educator/ counselor to the Almighty God, who is the author and finisher of her career, life, and faith.

A talented educator, Mrs. Gary has over forty-five years of professional experience. Now retired, she has had vast experience teaching and showcasing her leadership skills. Since 2017, she has been working as an editor for the State Newspaper for Illinois Ushers. Prior to this, she was well-known for her diverse and extensive roles across Chicago Public Schools. She began teaching Language Arts and Mathematics Grade K-9 in 1970, earning a permanent position at Langston Hughes Elementary School in Chicago, IL, as a teacher, counselor, and case manager in 1994. She is certified in Administration/Supervision Grades k_12; Certified Counselor/School Service Personnel Grades k-12; and she taught mathematics to television viewers on UHF Channel 19. For the next twelve years, she worked f ull-time, retiring in 2006 but remaining employed as a substitute teacher until 2015.

Mrs. Gary is an academic scholar who has multiple degrees. In 1969, she earned a Bachelor of Science from Chicago State University. She remained at the same institution, receiving a Master of Science in administration and supervision in 1979 and Master of Science in psychology in 1989. The National Institute for Trauma and Loss certified Mrs. Gary to provide interventions and programs to help children exposed to violent and non-violent traumatic incidents.

Active in the local community, Mrs. Gary is a member of the Chicago Division of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Zeta Tau Zeta Chapter, and a junior and youth supervisor for Archonettes, Amicettes and Pearlettes attending “Meals from the Heart” through the Ronald McDonald House. She also works with Scholarships for High School senior girls. She is also a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, where she serves as the Public Relations Chairperson. She has been a part of numerous organizations, including as an inspirational speaker at church and state conventions.

Mrs. Gary’s great-grandfather Ulysses Grant Moore was a source of her inspiration. He worked as the only black typist-stenographer for the Refuge Cotton Oil Mills in Vicksburg, MS. At the age of thirty-eight, he had corresponded with former President Theodore Roosevelt, discussing race relations and fairness to minorities in America.

Mrs. Gary dedicates this esteemed recognition to her family: three children, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and, in loving memory of, husband Archie Lee Gary.

As a leader in the education industry, my motto is: “Whatever you are, a teacher had something to do with it!”