30-year career forever memorialized at elementary school
-
Donnie Orr (left) reads to children at Robbinsville Elementary School’s media center on Friday, as his sister Debbie Orr (right) waits his turn. The siblings were at the school to dedicate a reading nook in honor of their late mother Maxine Orr, who was a teaching assistant at the school for 30 years. Photo by Randy Foster/news@grahamstar.com
Robbinsville – Maxine Orr was a teacher’s assistant at Robbinsville Elementary School, whose presence will be felt at the school for years to come – thanks to a reading nook.
Orr worked at the school for 30 years as a teaching assistant and occasionally – when needed – school librarian.
“Her passion was to have her students be the best they could be,” said Wendy Upright, the school district’s media coordinator.
The school dedicated a reading nook decorated like a castle and dubbed it “Maxine’s Reading Castle.”
Maxine’s daughter Debbie Orr – and son Donnie Orr – channeled their late mother during the dedication ceremony at the school media center (library), by reading to Robbinsville Elementary School students as their mother once did.
Debbie Orr teaches reading. She read passages from “When I was Young in the Mountains” by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Diane Goode and it felt as though Maxine was once again present at the school.
Donnie Orr read passages from the book too, showing a gift for storytelling that his mother may have influenced.
When the book mentioned fried okra, Donnie Orr asked the children gathered around him, “Who likes okra?”
The children said “I do” in unison, except one.
“I don’t like okra,” the child said.
Later, when the book mentioned rattlesnakes, Donnie Orr asked the children, “Who likes snakes?”
All hands shot up.
The siblings donated the book to the Robbinsville Elementary School media center.
Debbie Orr recalled her mother as a strong Christian, and wonderful mother and grandmother.
She described her as a prayer warrior for the children she taught.
“If she knew you, she prayed for you,” she said. “She had a heart for those kids.”
She was also an avid reader and it was not unusual for her to read books through the night.
Principal Jaime Hooper said Maxine Orr’s favorite song was “Lollipop Tree,” and the children heard Burl Ives’ version of it, followed by the Orr siblings handing out lollipops.
Maxine Orr passed away on July 16, 2021, at the age of 85, of complications from a fall.
An anonymous donor wanted to honor her in some way and first thought about contributing money to a book fair for children who could not afford new books.
Book fairs are seldom held anymore and the idea for a reading nook took hold.
“This is in honor of a precious lady, who was loved by so many,” Wendy Upright said.
Avis Phillips donated the wood for the project. J. Williams Construction built it.
Ali Wilkins Design out of Georgia did the artwork, along with other murals in the media center.