I was born and raised in Columbus County, in Tabor City, North Carolina. I am the oldest child of Ethel and Clyde Riggins of Tabor City, North Carolina. I attended the local schools: Tabor City Douglass High School grades 1-5, the name was later changed to Tabor City Elementary School grades 6-8 and Tabor City Primary High School, grades 9-12. After graduation I attended Southeastern Community College and earned an Associate Degree in General Office Technology. I worked one day as a secretary and I knew that was not what I wanted to do. Later, I became a teacher's assistant in the Columbus County Schools. I decided I wanted to be a teacher and I completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education K-4 at Pembroke State University, December of 1988. On January 23, 1989, I got my first job as a teacher in Northampton County. I taught second grade, second and third grade combination classes, and third grade. In 1994, I came back home to Columbus County to be with my family because I was needed at home. I taught first and second grade combination classes and second grade at two elementary schools. I went back and got a Master's Degree in Elementary Education K-6 at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in December of 1996. I'm now working at the high school teaching Remediation for grades 9-12 for the Reading Competency Test. I am taking classes at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in English Education.