Principal Hedrick Announces Retirement
Dr. Camille Hedrick announced her retirement at the end of this school year.
June 1, 2022
Since 2019, Dr. Camille Hedrick has served as the principal of Green Hope High, and she is a prominent member of the Green Hope community. Juggling between constantly communicating with staff and faculty members, finding solutions to problems on a daily basis, and still maintaining a strong family connection, Dr. Hedrick’s days get quite hectic.
After careful consideration, Dr. Hedrick announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year.
“I like to work, everyone gets joy out of something. I like my job, and I really enjoy it. One thing that I want is to leave my job still liking it as much as I ever did,” Dr. Hedrick stated. “But there is a place where you say to yourself, ‘All right, I’m at the top of my game, but am I still going to be at the top of my game next year? Am I going to be at the top of my game the year after that?’ I don’t want to be the person who is not at the top of my game and is still in the profession,” she added.
To end where my husband used to work and to end where my grandchildren will go to school is an honor. To end where I have a lot of friends and I have always had friends is also an honor. To land in my community is also an honor. — Dr. Camille Hedrick, Principal
In regards to what she will miss about the Green Hope environment, Dr. Hedrick had one thing to say: “I’ll miss working towards a common goal.”
“It is fun to work towards something common and achieve it, like pulling off a pep rally during COVID. And even if you don’t win it, if you do your best and you leave nothing behind, the success behind not quitting is amazing in of its own,” she stated. “Failing forward is something important.”
There is no doubt that these sentiments are echoed throughout the school, especially within the faculty. “Dr. Hedrick is very encouraging, and she encourages each of her colleagues to step out of their comfort zones and take on new tasks,” stated Lead Secretary Mrs. Trish Patteta. “She is very approachable and family-oriented, and she definitely encourages the staff and students to get involved within the community,” she added.
After reflecting over her past few years at Green Hope, Dr. Hedrick also noted one aspect of the school in particular that made it stand out from many others: the strong sense of community.
“Green Hope is family. At Green Hope, it seems as if we all know each other from the time that we are born. I know that people move here, but everyone knows everything about each other,” Dr. Hedrick explained. “Students at Green Hope usually know more about each other than students in other schools. It’s the tightest family that I have worked with in a long time,” she added.
Even after she retires, Dr. Hedrick does not plan on leaving the field of education behind. After retirement, she hopes to continue her work with Rotary and Business Alliance where she works with a team to support high schools as well as help vaccinate children against Polio, provide equipment for clean water to areas in need, assist with the Ukrainian efforts, and provide relief for areas struck by natural disasters. Furthermore, she will also be working with Alpha Delta Kappa, a group of future teachers and educators dedicated to raising money for scholarships. Additionally, she hopes to further the development of her non-profit organization Tag Changers, which supports schools to have academics for students who are academically behind.
In regards to how Dr. Hedrick has left a lasting impact on the Green Hope community, Assistant Principal Mr. Adam Bollhoefer believes that her dedication to the school is an aspect of her dedication that should not be forgotten.
I have never met an educator who has in every possible situation the best possible intentions.
— Mr. Adam Bollhoefer, Assistant Principal
“Dr. Hedrick has always put the community first. She lives and breathes Green Hope every single day, and I think that she has ultimately put the community first in everything she has done,” he stated. “Nothing came before Green Hope, and I think that service mentality will ultimately be her legacy.”
The Green Hope community of faculty, staff, students, and parents can see the passion that Dr. Hedrick has. Her attitude of finishing strong and not looking back is an encouraging mindset that many seek to obtain for themselves.
