Deborah Taylor-Long has never gotten tired of helping others, in or out of the classroom.
A bubbly personality, strong spirituality and happy demeanor are some attributes that former students say Dr. Long exemplified. For four decades, Long, born and raised in Gifford, made the utmost priority to connect with young learners by providing mentorship and guidance, community members say.
Dr. Deborah Taylor-Long receives a proclamation from IRC commissioners honoring her 40 years of service in education. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
“A child doesn’t care what you think about them, until they know that you care about them. Everyone comes with a different set of values, character and they bring their own baggage,” said Long, 61, who now serves as the director of extended learning services for the 17,000-student School District of Indian River County.
“(Teachers) have to be willing to acknowledge it, accept it and work with it. As an educator, we have to receive children where they are and move them to greater things…to greater heights. I needed to know my students not just on the level they were in my classroom, but I also needed to understand where they came from…develop empathy and a caring attitude to be able to communicate to the students and their parents.”
Long was honored with a proclamation by Indian River County Commissioners in February for her 40 years of service as an educator in local schools. Long, a 1981 Vero Beach High School graduate, said she was extremely thankful for the special recognition, one of several given to veteran educators in recent months.
“My mother (Mary Alice Taylor) always shared with us how important it was to get an education. Education will open doors. Education is power. Education is something that nobody can take away from you,” Long said. “What you have up in your brain is yours. Make sure you make the most of it.”
A teacher’s impact
For Long, the passion and commitment for helping students is deeply rooted, connecting her to generations of pupils all across Indian River County. Her devotion would lead her to become the longtime chairperson for the board of directors at the Gifford Youth Achievement Center, an afterschool program focused on bringing academics, STEAM courses and enrichment activities to children who might not otherwise be exposed to a hands-on approach to the subjects.
“We’ve done great things there (at GYAC) for the students. That’s my heartwork. It’s a safe haven for the kids,” Long said. “That’s what I enjoy doing most because it’s giving back to my community and making sure our brown and Black kids have access to opportunities they normally wouldn’t have.”
Several of Long’s former students later became teachers, assistant principals and principals in the School District. The students-turned-educators said Long is dedicated, confident, authentic and true to her word, both in the school hallways and also in the community.
The instructors also said Long’s impact on their lives is twofold.
Dr. Deborah Taylor-Long PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL
“She was my English language arts teacher (at Gifford Middle 7 School). She was strict, but also fun,” said Tiffany Johnson, who also teaches English language arts to sixth graders at Oslo Middle School. “Now, if I have an issue at work, she gives me guidance about dealing with students and parents. She was there to guide and support.”
Johnson said she had a difficult time dealing with the death of her mother, who died in 2006, years after she completed her time as a young student. Johnson said Long, who attends Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Gifford, gave her biblical scriptures and reminded Johnson that her mother’s spirit was still present.
James Thimmer, assistant principal at Sebastian River High School, also sat in Long’s classroom as a youth. Thimmer said Long being honored for her work in education is outstanding.
“As a teacher, Long was very structured and had the ability to disseminate information about writing and grammar that stuck with me. (Years later), she hired me as a social studies teacher at Oslo Middle School when I moved back to the school district,” Thimmer said.
“She provided me with what I needed to be a successful student and have a successful career. Everytime our paths cross, there’s nothing but smiles.”
Kenneth Brown, assistant principal at Oslo Middle School, said Long taught him and his siblings at Gifford Middle 7 School. Brown said Long told him to step out on faith and believe in his God-given abilities.
Kenny Holmes, a former NFL player and community leader, said Long leaves places better than she found them. Holmes, who grew up in Gifford, said Long was a family friend.
“(The recognition) is long overdue. I’ve been knowing her since I was a kid. She’s been involved in our community right out of college,” said Holmes, a 1992 Vero Beach High School graduate. “I have family members she took under her wing. She is an advocate for education and equal opportunity in our community.”
Path to education
At one point, Long thought about becoming a lawyer, standing before judges offering arguments and taking on legal cases.
But that changed.
While enrolled at Bethune-Cookman College, Long initially studied pre-law, planning to fight for justice for the underdogs. The educator said her love for reading and writing led her to change her major from pre-law to English, with a minor in education.
“One way to make God laugh is to make (your own) plans and think God will do it for you,” said Long, who graduated with an English degree from Bethune-Cookman College. “God changed my plans. Here I am 40 years later, still in education.”
Dr. Deborah Taylor-Long does a cheer dance with Indian River County students. PHOTO PROVIDED
While sitting in the classrooms at Bethune-Cookman College (now Bethune-Cookman University), Long said she fell in love with reading Shakespeare. One of her favorite writings by the world-renowned author, poet and playwright is “Othello,” a timeless story about love, infidelity and tragedy that still captivates audiences today.
Long received a college internship working at Holly Hill Middle School (now Holly Hill Elementary School) in Ormond Beach.
The Gifford native – who later received her master’s degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University – said she received hands-on training for classroom management, including teaching, writing lesson plans and more.
“It was eye-opening. I loved relating to the students. I loved teaching them how to write, especially poetry, limericks and haikus,” Long said. “I saw how developing relationships with them made the difference in how they treated me, received me and how they learned. It was a great feeling to impart the knowledge that I had to them in a way that was relative.”
Long also joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. to be involved in the community through neighborhood clean ups, voter registration drives and other events. After graduating from Bethune-Cookman College, Long said she wanted to return home and give back to the community that poured so much into her.
“The internship was the turning point for me,” Long said, whose doctorate degree in organizational leadership was also earned at Nova.
Stepping into the classroom
Long, who has two adult children, began teaching in 1985 at Gifford Middle 7 School. Over the years, Long advanced in her career, becoming a principal at the Alternative Center for Education, Highlands Elementary School (now Indian River Academy) and also Oslo Middle School.
The educator said an urge to extend her reach outside of the classroom and into the community led her to apply for administrative positions within the school district. Long went on to become the director of human resources and professional development, the director of secondary education and the coordinator of equity, family and community engagement before she landed her current role.
“I wanted to be more than a teacher,” Long said. “I wanted to touch more lives than the ones I had in my classroom.”
Bridging the divide
As a principal, Long made it a goal to have her teachers build strong relationships with families whose children came to school every year.
Long said she had the teachers mentor five students with the lowest performing test scores. The teachers’ first assignment was to make a positive phone call home to the students’ parents.
“That’s the beginning of building a relationship. If you’re truly trying to educate children, you want to ensure they know foremost that your class is a safe haven. If you build that relationship, everything else will flow naturally,” Long said. “As a teacher, you’re not just an instructor, you’re also a surrogate (parent), guidance counselor, doctor…you take on a lot of different roles. One of those roles should be bridging gaps and building relationships.”
Leaving a legacy
Becoming an educator and staying in the field is no easy feat, Long said, pointing out that sometimes teachers can be pulled in many different directions – from family, to school to other career paths. There are also frustrations that pop up, from parents who may not be supportive or other worries about testing or social pressure impacting students.
“Being a teacher used to be a respected profession. Everyone has to go through a school system,” Long said. “We pour into so many people but nobody takes account of that anymore. People forget about that.”
Long said a teacher’s influence, from encouraging a child to read to offering casual talks about life, will live on through their students.
Dr. Deborah Taylor-Long PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL
“Those thousands of students whose lives I’ve touched…I shared a part of my life with them,” Long said. “So my legacy will live on through those students who become adults and do the things they wanted to do. It’s an amazing process.”
She also put that sentiment into practice at home.
Long has two children, Gretchen, 35, and Grayson, 24. Gretchen is an entrepreneur who owns her own trucking business, Long Money Trucking, while Grayson is enrolled in college studying to earn his master of business administration degree from Walsh University in Canton, Ohio.
Long said she wouldn’t trade her educational journey for anything in the world.
The teaching veteran also said she will continue to give back to the community.
“Giving back motivates me. I love my people,” Long said. “We have to be invested in our kids, and we have to advocate for our kids… because if we don’t, who will?”
