GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Students and staff at Northeast Guilford High School in Guilford County say Ashley Harris is many things:
“She’s absolutely wonderful at what she does,” Guidance Secretary Clinton Kellin said.
“She’s serious, organized, and funny,” Assistant Band Director James Wyrick said.
“She just makes sure she looks out for everyone,” Social Studies Teacher Lauren Young said.
For 25 years, Harris has walked the halls of Northeast as an educator. First, as a business teacher, and now she works in special education. But that’s not all…
“I am also a 1994 graduate,” Harris said. “We have our 30-year reunion coming up. I’ve kind of grown up here. This has been my home.”
WFMY News 2’s Lauren Coleman asked Harris what inspired her to return year after year.
“The sense of community I enjoy,” Harris said. “Being at Northeast High School, all my family went here, and my children went to school here. I feel like it is just a part of me. Everybody says that I bleed blue and that is true. I think most colors in my wardrobe are navy blue.”
Over 25 years, Harris has made a lot of memories and has met thousands of students. Some of them now work alongside her as staff members.
Kellin graduated from Northeast in 2010. He said he took Harris’ business class that same year.
“When I was in her class, I started a lawn care business,” Kellin said. “I’m back now up and running that same home care company I was doing when I lived here. When I was in class with her, I got pushed a lot to finish what I was doing, which has now, led me to do other things in my life that I wouldn’t have probably done had I not been pushed more when I was younger.”
It’s the success stories like this one that keep Harris going.
“Being a teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs,” Harris said. “You try to build relationships with students. They might not learn the curriculum that you’re teaching them, but if they learn life lessons, I find that’s also more important.”
According to Guilford County Schools, Harris has taught five of the more than nine current staff members who are graduates of Northeast.