Rhonda O Griffith

I started as a non-traditional student, working for 17 or 18 years in the administrative assistant and secretarial field before entering education. While working as an administrative assistant at Appalachian State University in the Curriculum and Education Department, a professor encouraged me to become a business education teacher, which rekindled a spark that had been planted by a high school teacher years before. Over five and a half years, I completed my undergraduate degree while working full-time, taking courses from community colleges including Caldwell and Wilkes, and anywhere I could get classwork from Appalachian State. I entered my own classroom as a secondary CTE teacher, giving it 110% every day with passion. I retired in 2019 after 31 and a half years in the profession. Since retiring, I've been an adjunct instructor at ASU for the past three years teaching business communication courses, and I substitute teach at middle and high schools, which has opened up a wonderful ability to see many other curriculums and continue relationships with students from 7th grade all the way through 12th grade. I also worked for Wilkes Community College teaching an ESL class to a group of women who had such a desire to learn English and our culture. Most recently, my partner Lisa and I started PRL Educational Solutions, an educational consulting business to support teachers and employers with working relationships, communication skills, and professional development. We saw the mass exodus from classrooms due to lack of mentors and support networks, especially in North Carolina, and decided we needed to give back and offer the support and uplift that educators need. Between us, we have so much experience to offer, and we want to help young teachers and employers develop the people skills, emotional skills, and communication skills needed to succeed.