Nellie Massengill is no stranger to the Golden Bear family. She has definitely made her mark on the students and teachers of Alcorn Central. Mrs. Massengill will be departing from her position with the Alcorn School District to enjoy her retirement after 28 years of service in the district. She is a graduate of Alcorn Central High School and Blue Mountain College.
Mrs. Massengill served both Alcorn Central Middle School and Alcorn Central High School in the math department teaching 7th & 8th grade math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, and College Algebra. Later in her career, she became an administrator after completing her Masters in Education Administration from the University of North Alabama. Mrs. Massengill has been the Assistant Principal and College Algebra teacher of Alcorn Central High School for the past five years.
Abby Fields graduated from ACHS in 2017 and is now a Chemistry major at Freed Hardeman University. Abby said, "I was completely prepared for the next level of math. I had no trouble transitioning to pre-calculus and calculus. She pushed me to be a better student in every way. I would not be as determined or stubborn about getting the grades I want without her pushing me to be the best I could be in high school."
That kind of support and motivation speaks to Mrs. Massengill’s love for her students. By blood, she is the grandmother to six, but once you include all her school children, that number is well into the hundreds. James “Skooter” Williams is a member of the 2020 graduating class. He said that Mrs. Massengill was always ready to listen when he needed to get something off his chest. He appreciated that she treated him as more than just a student. He implied that she made him feel more like family. “My favorite memory would have to be when she walked on the field with me on my senior night of football.” When his personal family couldn’t make it, she had no problem stepping in.
She not only impacted her students, for many teachers grew close to her over her twenty-eight year tenure. ACHS science teacher and tennis coach Ginger Lancaster met Mrs. Massengill in 1998 when she began teaching at ACMS. They were able to grow a special bond throughout the years. “My favorite memories came from planning the 8th grade class trips, her math skills always came in handy. I would usually mis-add something and she would patiently let me talk everything out several times until I got the same number she had gotten minutes before,” said Lancaster. She credited Mrs. Massengill’s love of math for her success in the classroom. Lancaster also showed appreciation for Massengill’s willingness to be present and listen as an administrator.
Nellie Massengill will be missed at Alcorn Central. However, we know she will still be around cheering on those Golden Bears from the stands and on the sidelines as long as she isn’t at Truist Park cheering on her Atlanta Braves! Enjoy retirement Mrs. Massengill and Chop On!
#weareAC #BEARdown