Blanton named 2000 Distinguished Alumna

Vallye Blanton received the Valdosta State University Alumni Association's highest honor, when she was recognized as the Distinguished Alumna for the year 2000, during the Alumni Association Annual Dinner on Oct 20 at the Valdosta Country Club.

Blanton, a Valdosta native, graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in middle grades education in 1975. She earned a Master of Education degree in elementary education in 1977 from Valdosta State College.

"Ms. Blanton is a shining example of Valdosta State's alumni body," said Terry Frederiksen, director of Alumni Relations. "Her unselfish support of education and her commitment to our children bring pride to this university's alumni."

Blanton was a teacher at Lowndes Junior High and Middle School from 1975 to 1981; she taught math, computer science and journalism at Lowndes High School from 1981 to 1989. In 1989 and 1990, she was a data collector for the Regional Assessment Center in Valdosta. She has served in her present position as a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Lake Park Elementary School since 1990.

Blanton was named the 1994 Georgia Teacher of the Year and received the 1994 Milken National Educator Award; the 1999 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching and this year received the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship.

Blanton currently serves on the State School Superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council and is the chairperson of the State School Superintendent's Annual Teacher Conference Program.

Blanton currently holds memberships in the following organizations: Professional Association of Georgia Educators; Society of Elementary Presidential Awardees; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; National State Teachers of the Year Association; Georgia Teachers of the Year Association, in which she currently serves as the executive director; Georgia Milken Network and Kappa Delta Pi.

Within the community Blanton is an active associate member of the Valdosta Junior Service League; member of the Phi Mu Alumnae Advisory Board; First Baptist Church of Valdosta and the Valdosta State University Alumni Board.