Published: June 24, 2009 08:08 am      

Ruth Ann Taylor named Very Important Member

ADA — An education organization gave a local teacher a coveted award because of her commitment to the teaching profession on May 15 in Edmond.

Ruth Ann Taylor is one of 41 educators across the state who was recognized as an honorary member of the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association.

Local units chose their own Very Important Member, a project that OREA designed in order to honor members of local retired teachers associations.

Taylor grew up in the Ada area all her life, attending Center, Pickett and Glenwood elementary schools then Ada junior and senior high. She graduated Ada High School in May 1961.

Taylor then attended East Central State College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in July 1964. In 1972, she received her Master’s in Education from Northwestern University in Alva. But her teaching career began well before then.

She began teaching in fall of 1964 when she became an elementary teacher. She taught second and fourth grade at Norman Public Schools, staying there until 1969. Then, she worked as a disability teacher at Cherokee Public Schools from 1970 to 1975.

Taylor returned to the Ada area to become a first-grade teacher at Pickett-Center in 1975, a position she kept until 1990 when she left Pickett to become a kindergarten teacher at Ada Public Schools. She remained there until her retirement in 2005.

She has helped Ada Public Schools by submitting applications for certain grants for the students at Glenwood Early Childhood Center. This commitment to education is exactly why she has been so distinguished.

Taylor’s biography with her picture is placed in the Oklahoma Archives at the University of Central Oklahoma’s library and at the Oklahoma Historical Society. The Very Important Member award was given to many leaders of the past, including past presidents, classroom teachers and school administrators. The VIM Project began in 1990 with nine members. This year there are 41.

Taylor could not have achieved this without her family. Fred Taylor supported her as her husband for over 22 years until his passing in 2004. Taylor has a son, Rob Arrington, of Norman, and two grandchildren, Zachary and Brandon Arrington.

“I was surprised but truly honored to be named VIM for 2009,” Taylor said. “I treasure the friendship of my colleagues in education.”