Planting a future

Emma Pethel, Staff Writer

From a seed planted in New Orleans, a career in Canton has sprouted for Creekview’s newest agriculture teacher. Nurtured by a chance meeting with the school’s outgoing agriculture teacher, Chloe Lynch found her new home. 

As her first year here winds down, Lynch feels she is in the right place. So far, Lynch says she has enjoyed the school, its well-known agricultural program, and the support of the surrounding Creekview community. 

“I started to come here to do workshops and hang out, and I really liked the culture, the administration, the students, and the teachers,” Lynch said. 

Lynch was born in South Africa, but was raised in Savannah, Georgia. While Lynch was in high school, she worked at Oatland Island Wildlife Center helping take care of the animals.  

It was in Savannah where a former teacher of hers inspired her to go into teaching. Despite loving her job at the Oatland Island Wildlife Center, Lynch eventually went to the University of Georgia to get her education degree. Once she got her degree, she immediately began teaching.  

“I love interacting with the kids and getting to know them a little better. At a zoo, you see a class once or twice a week, and then you do not get to see the kids beyond that,” Lynch said. 

Years later, she met Pauline Benton, Creekview’s former agricultural teacher, at a conference in New Orleans. Lynch entered a packed conference room. 

“I go to turn around and leave because the room was full, and she (Benton) scoots over one chair and says, ‘This chair is open; do you want to sit it here? And I said ‘perfect’,” Lynch said.  

After meeting Benton, the two were able to talk more about the school and the potential job opportunity. Benton offered to help get Lynch a job at Creekview, and she accepted. 

 Lynch plans to grow the agriculture department and improving the curriculum by getting more kids involved. Lynch’s new leadership paves way for the potential success the program can bring to the View.