Dr. Georgina Pipes Nelson takes pride in promoting 100 percent literacy for Alabama students. She is Madison Elementary School’s new assistant principal.

Dr. Georgina Nelson, seated at right, is shown with husband Patrick, daughters Kaitlyn and Arabella and stepsons Nathan and Andrew.

Nelson hopes “in some way, no matter how small, I’ve made a positive impact upon … students. I don’t think I could ask for a more fulfilling legacy.”

This past year, Nelson worked as director of professional learning with the Alabama Best Practices Center and 10 years with the Alabama Reading Initiative as regional coach and then education administrator at Alabama State Department of Education.

Nelson first taught Title I students at Lynn Fanning elementary and Riverton middle schools. She then taught and was reading coach at Discovery Middle School, where she was named 2001 Teacher of the Year.

A Buckhorn High School graduate, Nelson received a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama and a master’s degree at Alabama A&M University. In 2000 at UA, she earned education specialist status. She is a certified reading specialist.

In 2004 Nelson completed her doctorate degree in elementary education. The International Reading Association lauded her dissertation.

Using her undergraduate business degree, Nelson felt unfulfilled. After church volunteering, “I fell in love with working with young people … watching them learn and grow.”

“I was called to be an educator. My true passion resides in working with students who struggle. I’ve watched them blossom from reluctant into independent readers. These students have become precious jewels in my life,” Nelson said.

A former students wrote to Nelson: “Now that I know how to read, I enjoy reading as much as Miss Pipes does. I’m so proud of myself and my grades.”

She is president emeritus and legislative chairperson for Alabama Reading Association, member of Alabama’s State Literacy Team and night class professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Husband Patrick works as an attorney for the U.S. Army on Redstone Arsenal. The Nelsons’ twins, Arabella and Kaitlyn, are 13 months old. “When Patrick and I married, I was blessed to have two bonus children: Nathan and Andrew Nelson.” Nathan, a 2012 graduate of Bob Jones High School, will attend Auburn University. Andrew is a sophomore at James Clemens High School.