By SUE ELLEN ROSS – Staff Reporter

RESERVE – When retirement comes into a person’s life, it may mean taking it easy and leaving the working world far behind. For Betty Clement, her work in education was not finished when she left the St. John Parish school system in 2000.

She has accomplished much since that time, and her hard work was recently reflected by the St. John Rotary Club, as they named her as the Citizen of the Year.

“I was very surprised, and very humbled. It is truly an honor,” said the former high school teacher. She added that she feels this is an affirmation that she should continue her duties in the educational arena.

Most notably, Clement has developed the ‘Tools for Schools’ program, which assists students in school supplies. As an educator, she saw the need of basic supplies for children whose families were not able to purchase them.

The program began in 1996, and included assistance from local churches, businesses and community members in the parish. Although it began originally in St. John, it soon spread to St. Charles and St. James parishes.

In honor of her parents, Warren and Leona Coleman, two other drives have been developed by Clement.

One is for children in local military families, which are given school supplies; and the other is an ‘adopt-a-school’ project. This involves Clement choosing a St. John school each Christmas season and providing its students with school supplies.

Clement has also returned to teaching.

She currently works as an instructor in the Pre-GED program with the St. John School system. Clement feels she is exactly where she needs to be. “Education is in my heart,” she said. “My work in the educational field is not finished.”

She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Tulane Alumni Chapter, Delta Kappa Delta Pi, serving as Historian.

Other organizations she belongs to are the Professional Women of the River Region; The River Region Education Initiative; NEA LA Retired Teachers Association; and Southern University Alumni Federation.

Clement also is a member of Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church.