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Not your average math teacher
Donna McKenna a mainstay at Trinity Christian School
McKenna unsung for Web
Donna McKenna started 14 years ago as Trinity Christian School's only math teacher. She now is senior advisor at the school. - photo by ROGER ALLEN/special
    Donna McKenna is not your average mathematics teacher. Her students, colleagues and supervisors at Trinity Christian School believe the term “average” just doesn't do her justice.
    McKenna began her college career at Old Dominion University in Virginia. She left there, attended several smaller community colleges.
    She almost had her math teaching degree, lacking only her student teaching assignment, but changed her major to literature so she could go ahead and graduate. McKenna then decided to get married and raise a family.
    Her husband, John, works for Oglethorpe Tours in Savannah. Their four children are: Corrina, who teaches in Maryland; Eileen, who just got married; John, who is in the Sub School in Groton, CT.; and Jered, who is a musician at Georgia Southern.
    The McKenna's decided to move to Georgia, where her brother-in-law Michael McKenna was Headmaster at Trinity Christian School in Statesboro. He hired her as the school's only Math teacher, teaching grades seven through twelve.
    Over the past 14 years the school has hired other math teachers to help shoulder the burden. This has allowed McKenna to become senior advisor. She has worked with every one of the past six graduating classes on planning, fundraising and then taking a European tour.
    During the school year, she teaches those students who are going on the trip all about Western culture, so that they might better appreciate what they will see. Meanwhile, she assists the students in holding endless weekend fundraisers for the trip's expenses.
    These have included selling herbs at the downtown Farmers Market, printing cook books, sponsoring special hot lunches at the school, holding community garage sales at students houses, and even scheduling special “Game Nights” at Trinity Christian, with games, booths, raffles, etc. - all to raise money for the upcoming trip.
    About McKenna, Headmaster David Lattner said, “We want our students to experience contrasting world views, so that they can look at something which conflicts with the Christian way of life, and be able to make an adult informed decision. Donna has made this possible for us to do.”
    Hearing this, McKenna commented, “At Trinity, we don't want to put blinders on our students. We want them to be prepared. We understand that this trip may be their only opportunity to develop a more realistic “worldview” before they enter society as young adults.”
    
   
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