Remarkable Women 2024: Beverly McKnight
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – In celebration of Women’s History Month, 18 News is highlighting four local women who inspire, lead and forge the way for others. This week, we meet Beverly McKnight.
McKnight is from Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. At the age of 86, McKnight has done a lot in her life so far, and she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. One of her fondest memories is being a teacher for almost 30 years.
Remarkable Women 2024: Ashleigh Houghtaling
“I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in 5th or 6th grade,” explained McKnight. “I had excellent elementary teachers in grade school who inspired me.”
After attending Edinburgh College in 1955 and meeting her husband, they moved to Wellsboro. There was an opening for a senior high school social studies teaching position. That is where McKnight’s teaching journey began.
McKnight didn’t start teaching full-time until her kids were in school. She started at the Charleston Elementary School, where she taught kids in first through fourth grade. McKnight then became the principal of that school.
After they closed the school in the 1980s, McKnight moved to the Don Gill. Elementary School, where she taught second grade for 17 years.
Remarkable Women 2024: Michele Picuri
When the time for retirement came, McKnight knew she wanted to keep giving back in any way she could.
In 1979, she co-founded the women’s chorus in Wellsboro, where she is still an active member. The group meets every week and frequently performs at events.
McKnight continues to teach at a Sunday school and also writes a weekly article about church events for the Wellsboro Gazette.
“Having been a teacher, I felt that I was being helpful and was of some value to people,” McKnight said. “When I retired, I knew I had to find things to do where I can still give.”
McKnight also worked as a docent, as well as a secretary, for the Wellsboro food pantry. She reflects on those times as some of the happiest in her life.
“I met a lot of nice people at the food pantry. It was great,” McKnight said. “I just tried to find things that I could enjoy that I felt were helpful.”
As a mother of three, a grandmother of 13 and a great-grandmother of 25, McKnight says she always tries to inspire others around her to be kind and to give back as much as they can because it truly makes a difference.
“There is too much animosity going on right now. I think we need to remember we’re all human. We all make mistakes. What we need to do is be kind and treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves.”
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
