MMHMF Honoree
2017 Education Service Award Recipient
The Foundation is pleased to award its 2017 Education Service Award to Gail Ledbetter, retired Assistant Principal, Matoaca High School. Like our namesake, Gail is a caring and giving person. She truly exemplifies the ideals of MMHMF through her selfless devotion to her family and community, particularly to the many students she taught and served as an administrator in the Chesterfield County Public Schools system for 44 years. During that period, she held several positions. She was a teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and as Department Chair for Business & Technology at Midlothian and Matoaca High Schools.
Gail is native of Petersburg, Virginia. She received three degrees from Virginia State University, an undergraduate degree in Business Education and two Masters degrees in Business Education and Administration Supervision. During the Chesterfield County Public Schools retirement celebration held in May of 2016, Gail was highlighted for spending her professional career, over four decades, in the County public school system.
She cares deeply about young people and has always been passionate about helping them succeed in school and in life. She put in an untold number of hours after school volunteering in various capacities, always, always going the extra mile. If we could give her one dollar for every hour she spent going over and beyond helping students, she may very well be a millionaire!
As a teacher, she volunteered in roles that supported student extracurricular activities outside the classroom. Examples of her activities are: Co-yearbook Sponsor; Junior and Varsity Cheerleading Coach; Assistant Athletic Director; Co-advisor to senior classes; Prom Sponsor; Graduation Sponsor and many others. Gail won the Teacher of the Year Award at Matoaca and Midlothian High Schools. Additionally, she was nominated Teacher of the Year in Chesterfield County and at the State level. She was received the Outstanding Contributor in Educational Development award from the Petersburg Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Other contributions Gail has made that assisted students in developing their spiritual and educational growth include: Girl Scouts Troop Leader; Sunday School teacher; after school volunteer tutor; organizer of school wide fundraisers that assisted needy children; and mentor to a multitude of students.
For decades, Gail has maintained a tremendous desire to help young people, exhibiting the attributes that MMHMF looks for when selecting service award recipients. Congratulations, Gail Ledbetter, for “stepping up” and “stepping in” to make a difference in the lives of so many people.
A Note About Gail Ledbetter From Melloney Johnson
Matoaca High School relocated to its current premises in September 2002. During the 2001-2002 school year, Gail served as interim principal of Matoaca High School and was therefore instrumental in maintaining community relations and preparing staff and students and their families for the transition from the best kept secret in Chesterfield to the Chesterfield County Public school with the highest level of technology.
More significantly, Gail attended Virginia State University, then Virginia State College, as a result of the determination of her mother who wanted her daughter to have a college degree. Sounds familiar?
Today, as a retired educator, Gail is still known by the name that she earned over the years by her colleagues, friends, family members, students, and their parents ... that name that best describes the character and integrity of this educator of excellence is none other than "Consider it Done." and thank you, Gail "Consider it Done" Ledbetter for making and living the difference for more than 4 decades in the lives of your students; that is, in the lives of many members of our community who join me today in recognizing you as an insurmountable leader in educational administration.
