Glenda Akin, a Tennessee teacher, was certified by Guinness World Records as the longest serving female teacher at the same school. Akin, 84, has worked at Westmoreland High School for 61 years, first as a teacher and later a librarian, according to CBC.
She has almost a decade on Guinness’ longest serving male teacher, who clocked 54 years as of October 2024. Akin told CBC she has worked long enough to watch one of her students grow up, become a teacher at Westmoreland and retire a full decade before she did.
A Facebook post from Westmoreland reads, “Ms. Akin’s lifelong commitment to education has shaped generations of students and left an unforgettable legacy in our school and community.”
Akin was born Dec. 7, 1941 – the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor – and began teaching in 1963 a few months before the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
“I’m not ready to sit down and give up yet,” she said. “I want to keep moving as long as I can.”
Akin is an active member of her local senior’s organization, plays bingo and volunteers for both her local and church libraries. She told CBC there’s plenty to keep her busy.
