The Velma Freeman Gillespie and Zelma Freeman Root Foundation was established in 1995 by Mrs. Gillespie’s family to honor a deserving teacher at the end of each school year. Velma Freeman Gillespie and Zelma Freeman Root were twin sisters who both taught in the BISD system for over twenty-five years each. Mrs. Root came to Borger in 1944. Mrs. Gillespie came to visit her from Arkansas in 1946 and never went back. Mrs. Gillespie taught in Borger Junior High School for 25 years. Mrs. Root taught at Borger High School for 26 years. Both retired in 1971. After retiring from BISD, Zelma Root taught at Frank Phillips Junior College for five years. Mrs. Gillespie had two sons, Dr. Hamp Gillespie and Dr. Mike Gillespie, who both graduated from Borger Independent School District. After Velma Gillespie passed away in October 1994, her sons wanted to honor their mother and aunt by establishing the foundation.
The award is given to a deserving teacher in the academic field who possesses the following:
- A concern for students and the capability to inspire them.
- The ability and willingness to work cooperatively with colleagues.
- A drive to initiate activities that improve instruction for students.
- An ability to work effectively with different groups in the community.
- The desire to stay informed of current educational theories and practices”
- An ability and willingness to make meaningful contributions to education.
- Examples of innovations started in the nominees’ classrooms.
The 2019-2020 campus nominees included: Brandi Moore, Kindergarten Instructor at Paul Belton Elementary; Melissa Fite, First-Grade Instructor at Gateway Elementary; Emilie Poe, Third-grade Instructor at Crockett Elementary; Cynthia Hipolito, Fifth-grade Social Studies Instructor at Borger Intermediate; Judy Riggle, Seventh-grade Math Instructor at Borger Middle School and Maureen Martinez, Borger High School Spanish Instructor.
This year, the Root-Gillespie award went to Judy Riggle. Ms. Riggle was recognized at Convocation. She will receive $750 to spend in her classroom. Each campus nominee will receive $250 for their classroom.
Ms. Riggle brings the real world to the math classroom by offering real-world experiences even when they can’t physically be in the classroom. One example of real-world learning is the slope lesson. Students found examples in their worlds of different types of slope and created videos. Ms. Riggle also served as the UIL Coordinator for the middle school this year. This is an extremely demanding job and she did it with pride and grace.
Ms. Riggle has a passion to learn new ways to engage students. She attends training with enthusiasm and spends time at home researching and gaining new information. When she finds something amazing, she is more than willing to share that information with her team.
Ms. Riggle has her students set goals and congratulates them when they achieve their goals, but she does something for those who don’t too. She shows them that goals are met in steps, not always all at once, and gives them advice on how to meet it next time.
Judy Riggle truly shows Bulldog Pride in everything that she does!