WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — For one Houston County middle school principal, a career curve ball turned into almost four decades in education.
"I get joy out of doing my job. Is everyday easy? Oh no, oh no! but do I get joy out of it? Yes," Gwendolyn Taylor said about her longtime career.
If you asked Gwendolyn Taylor almost 40 years ago where she'd be -- she may have said she'd use her degree in biology.
But instead, a "no" opened the door for a career in education.
"The job that I had, thinking I was going to get in the laboratory, fell through. Therefore, I started subbing at Burt Rumble Middle School," Taylor said.
The short-term pivot turned into 10 years.
From there, she became an assistant principal at Tabor Middle School until she returned to Burt Rumble, this time as a principal.
She became principal at Huntington Middle School in 2005 and of course, so much has changed from since then.
"Just seeing the change in kids with cell phones, you know the social media. It could be good, and it could be bad,” she said.
Her students have had children of their own and some former students have even become colleagues. Taylor says the decision to leave just comes with time and when that final school bell rings in May, Taylor says she sees another way to use her talents.
"I would like to be a principal coach for our young principals. Not to tell them what to do, but to be there. They may say, 'Hey I got this going on, what are your thoughts," she said.
No matter where she ends up she says her love will remain with the staff and through the halls of Huntington Elementary.
Taylor says for her entire career she's worked by choice in title one schools, where most students come from low-income families.
She says she's enjoyed getting students ready for high school.
Her last day will be May 31.