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No Comments [ Add Comment ]For the love of the Red, White and Blue, ... the Purple and White, Too
By Jamie LamprosRetired educator doesn't slow down her volunteer efforts
OGDEN -- Barbara Skeen is known around Polk Elementary School as "the lady who loves America."
Skeen, a retired Polk teacher and full-time volunteer at the school, loves to wear red, white and blue clothing, earrings and an Olympic pin with the motto "United We Stand."
Her students knew she loves the country so much that she received red, white and blue flowers from them, with just a hint of purple to represent her love for Polk.
"I love America and I love Polk. I love to walk down the halls and I love to be in the classroom with the children," Skeen said. "I attended Polk when I was a little girl and I ended up teaching first grade in the same classroom that I attended first grade."
Skeen retired as a teacher in 2004, but she never really left. Since retiring, she has volunteered full time as a reading tutor for at-risk students and as a translator for Spanish-speaking students and their families.
"This is where her heart is," Principal Jeanne Clifton said recently. "She works four days a week on her own time and she will do anything. Last night, we had kindergarten roundup and she came and helped for over two hours. She's wonderful and the kids really like her. Everyone knows her."
On Thursday, Skeen will receive the Governor's Silver Bowl Award for Weber County at a ceremony in Provo. The award is presented to one outstanding volunteer in each county by Utah's Volunteer Centers.
Skeen said she has always loved children and made it a point to build up her students' self-esteem.
"I always gave them a hug and told them I loved them," she said. "Some of them just need extra loving and they need to be told that they are wonderful people. I love seeing my students from past years. I see them in the grocery store and the credit union, and they always wave and say hello."
Skeen was born in Portland, Ore. Her father died from an asthma attack when she was only 4 months old, so her mother moved the family to Ogden to be closer to her extended family. Skeen attended Polk Elementary and Mount Ogden Middle School and graduated from Ogden High School and Weber State University.
She now lives in Ogden with her cat, Tiger, whom she named after the high school mascot.
"He's a beautiful tabby who wandered into my yard one day and adopted me," she said.
Skeen said she wanted to be a schoolteacher from the time she was a tiny girl.
"I used to play school all of the time," she recalled. "In fact, we would have family reunions and I would be entertaining all of the kids with games. I just always enjoyed doing things like that."
Skeen said during her teaching career and time as a volunteer, she has laughed, cried, celebrated and mourned with her students.
"I remember one of my little boys coming in and telling me that his dog had died. I held him in my arms and we both cried," she said.
"Another family of three from Laos came into my classroom. They were very frightened and didn't know any English. We learned each other's languages together and they told me their favorite song was called "America," but it was a different version from ours."
Skeen also taught her students to be kind to one another and not to poke fun at their classmates.
"One little boy went home and told his mother that it was OK to cry and even wet your pants by accident because no one would make fun of you," she said. "Children have such sweet spirits and they teach you so much about life."
Skeen suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, but refuses to let it slow her down. David Barron, Weber Senior Services director, said she masks her illness with good cheer and enthusiasm.
"About 20 years ago, I had major surgery and within a few months I contracted a virus that just left me exhausted," Skeen said. "My mom saw an article in the paper about chronic fatigue and I took it to my doctor. Sure enough, that's what I had."
Skeen now sees a specialist who gives her vitamin B12 shots and treats other symptoms of the disease.
"I'm a lot better and I have just felt extremely blessed through it all," she said. "I sometimes rely on a cane, but it makes a great golf club and we have fun pretending that it's a microphone."
Skeen said she plans to continue volunteering at Polk for as long as she can.
"I love the school. I love the purple and white. I love walking down those halls. It's a special place," she said. "Besides, I know where all of the light switches are and I can help anyone find their way around."
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