Marla Marsh

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH:

I arrived in Middletown, Ohio in the summer of 1984, and I taught for six years. Going into my seventh year, I had the opportunity to become an assistant to the principal at McKinley Elementary in the fall of 1989. I spent six years at McKinley, then went to Taft, and so on throughout my career. I absolutely loved McKinley. When I first arrived, it was a grade three through six building with just under 300 students, and it was probably one of the best experiences of my entire career. I truly loved it. I’m still in touch with many of the staff and families today.

A lot of districts say “once a [mascot], always a [mascot],” but in Middletown, “once a Middie, always a Middie” really holds true. My entire career was with Middletown City Schools. My work, both professionally and civically, has been rooted here and still continues today. I’ve been retired for 11 years, and I’ve remained active as a member of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown.

I believe in this community. I’ve seen it evolve through many changes—economic, cultural—and it is still thriving. I see Middletown on the upswing, and I believe that’s because so many people have invested their time and energy into this community for the sake of our kids.