When Michelle Allmond was a little girl growing up in Fort Oglethorpe, she loved everything about her elemen-tary school, from new school supplies to busy projects. From her little desk at Cloud Springs Elementary, she even had visions of sitting at the big desk and being the teacher one day. And that’s exactly what she did. Then after 13 years of teaching she was voted Cloud Spring Elementary’s 2011 “Teacher of the Year.”

Allmond said she was very surprised to receive the award, but “thrilled and honored.”

“It is so nice to be recognized,” Allmond said. “It makes me want to work even harder and help even more people. Our principal (Cliff Brittingham) gives us a nameplate with “Teacher of the Year” on it so now it’s up there for every-one that passes by, so I was excited about that. I really appreciated that.”

Another dream came true when Allmond was able to teach alongside some of the mentors who inspired her as a child. Nancy Broom and Jane Bilbrey were two of her all-time favorite teachers.

“I remember Mrs. Bilbrey giving us lots of projects,” Allmond said. “We were always investigating, going to the library and researching. I loved it.”

Her sixth-grade teacher, Beverly Thompson, also planted several seeds that took root.

“After I got my academic stuff done, she would go right into teaching us other stuff.” Allmond said. “She taught us how to file, and decorate doors and make copies. There was a natural desire there for me to teach, but she really pulled it out of me.”

Last but certainly not least, Allmond attributed a great deal of her quest to Linda Colquette, her mother and first teacher.

“She always made learning fun,” Allmond said. “She always encouraged me to go the extra mile. She’s still my biggest cheerleader.”

When asked if her dream was all she had planned, Allmond readily answered with confidence.

“It is truly everything I thought it would be,” Allmond said about her 13 years of teaching. “I started out teach-ing second grade and loved it, but third is just my niche. They (the students) are responsible enough to handle some independent projects even at the beginning of the year and they’re still sweet. They want to please you and they’ll try their heart out for you.”

Allmond, who cheered as a teen at Tennessee Temple Academy, now cheers on her students and said motivation was definitely a strong point that helped her students succeed.

“I think it’s an important essential in micromanaging so many children,” Allmond said. “I work hard at motivat-ing my kids to perform and giving them that desire to not only just meet the standards but be “overachievers.” Even my little ‘strugglers’ will say, ‘I’m being an overachiever now. I’m moving over to a different side of the board.’ I give them what we have to know for third grade but I also I give them something else to push for. It’s exciting that they want to do the extra work and extra learning.”

Allmond has been married to her husband Scott for 12 years and they have a 9-year-old daughter, Alyse, who at-tends Oakwood Christian Academy. The family is very active in a variety of ministries at Victory Baptist Church in Rossville. The couple also opens their home to Korean children participating in a “homestay” program. The chil-dren come to America to be emerged in the culture and learn English.

“It’s six weeks on, six weeks off,” Allmond said, referring to arrangements. “We keep the younger ones that are closer to our daughter’s age, but only one at a time. We show them our lifestyle so they can live like an American, but we keep up on their Korean studies.”

In her free time, Allmond likes to read and garden. She also enjoys a side catering hobby, which allows her to plan parties and events where she can utilize her decorating and cooking talents.