Major (MAJ) Karen Grimes, of Bainbridge, is Georgia Military College Prep School’s Character Educator of the 2017 school year. MAJ Grimes is an eighth grade Georgia History instructor at Georgia Military College Prep School.

This is MAJ Grimes’ 2nd time receiving this recognition from her peers at GMC’s Prep School, who voted and selected her to receive this prestigious honor. “I was very honored to receive this award because there are so many wonderful people on this faculty that are very deserving,” said MAJ Karen Grimes, GMC Prep School’s Character Educator of the Year. “Both my father and children graduated from here, so this place holds a special place in my heart.”

MAJ Grimes is the consummate role model for her students, always exhibiting the character traits the Prep School strives to instill in its students. She has taught at GMC for 29 years and will be retiring this May. She started as a 6th grade teacher in Jenkins Hall in a self-contained classroom teaching Math, English, Social Studies, Science and Spelling. After a few years she moved to 7th grade Math and then found her passion for 8th grade Georgia History.  Every February for the past 15 years MAJ Grimes has been a major part in coordinating the annual 8th grade trip to the Capitol for Georgia Day. During this year’s trip to the Capitol, she was recognized by Governor Nathan Deal for attending her last Georgia Day Ceremony at the Capitol.

MAJ Grimes also teaches the 8th grade Cotillion/Etiquette Class where she instills the social graces that students need for real life experiences now and in the future. She reiterates these attributes into the classroom setting each day.

Through the years, MAJ Grimes has served as a Middle School Basketball Cheer Coach, Honor Council Advisor, Word of the Week Coordinator, Jr./Sr. Prom Chair, and has been the Coordinator of the Miss GMC Pageant, Homecoming Court and Sr. Night.

MAJ Grimes’ Father and her two sons, Hays and Rob, graduated from GMC. She has always worked to preserve the GMC values and support the students of GMC, and this is evident in the way she teaches her classes and guides her students. She has been such an asset to the Prep School, and has made a true difference in the lives of all her students by the lessons she has taught them, and more importantly, by the daily example she has set for them.

MAJ Grimes will be formally recognized as GMC Prep School’s Character Educator of the Year during the Grand Tattoo in April.