Ron Edyt has spent 41 years, the last 28 right here in Monroe County, teaching and coaching. But he’s not finished with schools yet.

This summer, he may be retiring from his job as principal at Tellico Plains Junior High School but he’s not retiring from the county school system. Instead he’s running for a seat on the county’s School Board.

“I’ve finished one avenue and I’m not ready to give it up yet,” he said of his decision to run for election.

Edyt said he always wanted to teach and coach. He coached for 28 years and has taught for 41 years. During that time, he saw teaching change dramatically.

The veteran teacher said in order for anyone to continue to teach that many years, he or she had to truly love it. To emphasize this, he quoted something he heard a long time ago, “True teachers are born; they’re not made,” he said.

Edyt is originally from Niagara Falls, N.Y. He attended Indiana University, where he met his wife, Cammie. He spent the next 15 years teaching science and physical education and coaching basketball and football in Florida.

Cammie Edyt taught special education and it only seemed natural for the couple to get involved in a camp for the mentally handicapped. They eventually became the sole owners and operators of Tall Pine Camp here in Monroe County.

It was through their efforts with the camp that Ron Edyt’s path crossed that of Sanford Gray. Gray was eventually able to recruit Edyt to become the dean of students and athletics director at Tennessee Military Institute in Sweetwater. While there, Edyt started a postgraduate basketball program.

When TMI closed, Edyt became a teacher and head football coach at Tellico Plains High School. From there, he became Coker Creek Elementary School’s principal for three years and has since spent 10 years as the principal at Tellico Plains Junior High School.

“I’ve always felt like I’ve been blessed,” he said. “I’ve been able to get up and go do something I enjoyed.”

Since Edyt is retiring, he has plans to take up woodworking, play some golf and get to work on his wife’s “honey do” list. He and Cammie have been married 45 years and have one daughter, Jody.

Edyt said his family is a little different from most in Monroe County because they chose to come here. He said after teaching in big cities in Florida, he thought “he’d died and gone to Heaven” when he got to Tellico Plains. He said his students there knew they were representing themselves, their parents and their community and they did an exemplary job.

The same can be said for Edyt.

“Ron Edyt has committed 41 years of his life helping to elevate and support the future leaders of tomorrow,” said Director of Monroe County Schools Mike Lowry. “He has been a teacher, coach and principal and has always shown a compassion to help our children. Many students have benefited from his wisdom. His guidance and warm personality will be missed at Tellico Plains Jr. High.”

melissa.kinton@advocateanddemocrat.com | 337-7101