As a journalist, you are taught to be impartial and unbiased. There are certain times the rulebook is forgotten about. With the passing of Lee County High School English teacher Sharon Newby on Friday afternoon, teachers, including me, are forgetting those rules and focusing on the person Mrs. Newby was. The following stories were collected from her colleagues.

Zach Francis – English teacher

There are two words I will always think about when thinking of Mrs. Newby: passionate and fighter. Both of those words are needed for any teacher that is going to brave the school during the summer to teach summer school. Mrs. Newby was one of the most dedicated teachers to LCHS. That showed during the summer. When one teacher could not get a student to work, Mrs. Newby could. When someone needed motivating, Mrs. Newby was there. Even on days she did not feel like it, she would not show it. She fought through pain and illness to make sure all students finished. She was an inspiration to watch.

Katie Brown – English teacher

Mrs. Newby was an all around great lady. She always put the needs of her students first. She was a great colleague and friend who always cared about and checked on others. She was truly selfless and is greatly missed.

“The Teacher Parking Lot Gang”

Ms. Newby and I would often arrive at the teacher parking lot at the same time and I so much enjoyed our conversations we had as we went to our respective classrooms.  No matter the time of day, day of the week, bad weather or the fact that she pulled a sports duty the evening prior; Sharon Newby was always 100% ready to start her day with excitement, energy and love. She is such a positive spirit for our campus and role model for us all to emulate.  It is now our duty to carry the spirit she leaves us to provide for the students of Lee County as she did.

Cherice Washington

I can remember Mrs. Newby always checking in on me to see if I was still feeling welcome, and helping me find new resources to use. She frequently inquired about my son and how he was enjoying daycare. She helped me on multiple occasions by providing a listening ear. She prayed for my family, as well as, always had a radiant smile to greet me when I was feeling discouraged. I will truly miss her.