In FOCUS - Carolyn Allison

Carolyn Allison. If you weren’t one of the fortunate ones that had Mrs. Allison as your schoolteacher ~ then chances are you’ve been touched somehow by her continued community involvement. Her life has been a lifetime of giving and she is still making a difference. At 82 years young, she could easily spend her days enjoying a slower pace of life, but that simply isn’t who she is. As a retired teacher, she has spent much of her life encouraging, teaching, and helping others—and retirement hasn’t changed that. If anything, it has given her even more opportunities to give back to the community she loves.

Carolyn grew up in Hancock County. Her Dad and Mom, Stewart and Elsie Glass, raised her on the family farm where she resides today.  Some of her cherished childhood memories were the times spent getting up early to join in with all the local farmers that came to help her Dad thresh the wheat. Her Mom would cook a really big meal to feed all the helpers. Carolyn says that she herself was a little bit of a tomboy. She loved any opportunity to drive the John Deere tractor. Her Dad would let her drive, as long as, it was just a straight path in the field.   Anyone will tell you that working on a family farm is hard work, but it also teaches you lifelong lessons.  Carolyn shared that her favorite activities or things to do are: Mowing the grass, Washing the dishes, and Reading. Suffice to say, a childhood on the farm had a hand in those choices.

Carolyn attended New Cumberland School for grades 1 – 12. Graduating in the class of 1959. It was during her freshman year that she met a handsome football star named Norm Allison. She tells me that there was never anyone else. They married in January of 1961 and were virtually inseparable until his passing in 2009. There was never a dull moment. Their lives were full of all things Football, all things Godly, and all things Family. Their story feels like something straight out of a classic love story—the beautiful girl (Prom Queen) and the high school football star who found each other young and somehow knew they had found something special. They found in each other a love that lasted long after graduation, through all the seasons life would bring. What began as a young love became a lifelong love story—one filled with memories, laughter, challenges, family, and countless moments shared side by side.  Together, they raised their two boys John and Will to become strong, independent men. Carolyn says her sons received hands-on learning in all the trades from their Dad. Some love stories are written in books. Carolyn and Norm’s was written in the everyday moments of a life shared ~ and that may be the most beautiful love story of all.

Carolyn went onto obtaining her BA in Elementary Education at West Liberty. Subsequently receiving her Masters in Elementary Education at WVU. She taught in Hancock County Schools for 39 years. During the interview, I asked her what her favorite grade to teach was. She gave the same answer most great teachers will give: “Every grade, and that she loved each one” … But then, with a twinkle in her eye, she said, “5th and 6th grade.” She loved that those students were a little bit older, and could understand instructions and then make ideas, or projects their own. She reminisced about the special opportunities of attending real trials right next door at the Hancock County Courthouse. Describing how the Judge would spend time with the students explaining the processes and inspiring their young minds.

Another of her favorite memories was when the Pittsburgh Junior Playhouse contacted the school to say that her class was chosen to help them with their production of Jack and the Beanstalk. The students built the scenery and stage props. Then they were able to travel to see the live production in Pittsburgh and go out for pizza. As if that experience alone wasn’t enough, then the Playhouse donated the scenery back to the school. Through a school wide team effort, Jack and the Beanstalk was performed in the school gymnasium.

Mrs. Allison’s students also helped in the Book store selling pencils, paper and other school supplies. Carolyn applied for and obtained a grant from McDonalds for a Christmas Ornament Fundraiser. The kids were involved in creating the design, forming an assembly line for making the ornaments, and then selling them at the whopping cost of $1.00. Valuable lifelong skills such as creativity, manufacturing, marketing, teamwork, budgets, and sales were learned.

Her years as an educator taught her that making a difference doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s a listening ear, a helping hand, a kind word, or simply showing up. Those lessons have followed her throughout her life. She taught by example. She taught with fairness. She taught that the STUDENT is first. She looked at every student and made them feel seen, valued, and worthy. She didn’t just teach her students—she inspired others to want to teach because of the example she set. She had a gift for looking beyond the student and seeing the person ~ their potential, their struggles, and their worth. Truth be told, she still has that effect on people today. Her translucent eyes hold a certain clarity. A reflection of her fairness, kindness, and deep compassion for others.

Even after leaving the classroom, she never stopped being a teacher. Today, she teaches by example—showing those around her what commitment, compassion, and service look like. For her, volunteering isn’t about recognition or praise. It’s about being there when she is needed. Whether she is helping with a community organization, lending her time to a local project, supporting an event, or simply stepping in wherever there is a need, she continues to give generously of her time and talents. She always taught students to do their best and she strives to do her best, her most, through the Point Pleasant Ladies Aide and the Fidelis Gamma Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa Teachers Sorority. Through these groups and surrounded by her ‘sisters’ she has been able to organize different events to help others in our community.  Including, but certainly not limited to, awarding thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving Oak Glen High School Seniors.

There is something special about someone who has spent a lifetime investing in others and continues to do so. Her contributions may not always make headlines, but they make an impact. Carolyn will be the first to tell you that she does not accomplish great things all on her own. It truly takes a ‘village’. But the organizations she serves are stronger because of her involvement, and the people she encounters are better because she takes the time to care. She is a reminder that retirement doesn't mean retiring from making a difference.

At 82, she continues to show up, lend a hand, share her wisdom, and give back. Her life is a beautiful example of how one person’s willingness to serve can touch an entire community. And perhaps the greatest lesson she continues to teach isn’t found in any classroom. It is this: There is ALWAYS a way to make a difference, and it is never too late to keep giving.

Carolyn Allison, you believed in your students, encouraged them to see their own worth, and inspired others simply by the way you lived your life. Thank you for every lesson you taught, every word of encouragement you offered, every person you helped, and every moment you continue to give back to the community you love. Your impact reaches far beyond the classrooms of days gone by, and your legacy lives on in the countless lives you have touched. You didn't just teach generations of students; you helped shape generations of people. And for that, your community will always be grateful!