Mary Sue Casey, Director

MARY SUE CASEY was born to Minnie Worley Casey and the late Lyndon K. Casey, Sr., and was educated in Jackson County, North Carolina. She attended the all black Jackson Elementary and High School through seventh grade. As integration spread through the South in 1964, she moved to Scotts Creek Elementary for eighth grade and her first year in an integrated environment. Graduating from Sylva-Webster High School in 1970, she remained in Jackson County and attended Western Carolina University where she earned a bachelor of science degree in secondary education (1974) and a master's of arts degree in secondary education (1984).

In 1974, she began her teaching career at Sun Valley High School in Monroe, NC. Mary Sue taught mathematics at Sun Valley and coached cheerleading for twenty-four years. During that time she received the state superintendent's award of excellence for establishing the Union County Math Meet. The faculty named her teacher of the year in 1983. The varsity cheerleading teams she coached earned the 3A state cheerleading championship title for four consecutive years (1990 - 1993). The SVHS varsity squad placed 16th in the Varsity National Competition held at Sea World in Orlando, FL in 1992.

While living in Monroe, Mary Sue attended the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and was an active member of the "All God's Children" collector's club in Rock Hill, SC.

Returning to Sylva in 1998, Mary Sue reestablished her membership at Liberty Baptist Church. At Liberty, she is assistant treasurer, Women's Day chairperson, and a member of the Budget Committee. She has been chairperson of the Waynesville Missionary Baptist Association Banquet Committee since its inception in 2001. Mary Sue's community involvement includes membership in the Order of the Eastern Star- Sylva Chapter 416B, serving as President of Bridges to Community and serving on the Boards of Directors for the North Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association, One Dozen Who Care, Inc., and Samaritan Health Clinics.

Presently, Mary Sue teaches math at Smoky Mountain High in Sylva, NC where she was elected Teacher of the Year in 2000.