Mrs. Nona Johnson Cheatham This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. thedailycitizen.com

   thedailycitizen.com/articles/2 - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/30/2004   Last Visited: 12/30/2004

   Hall of Honor Class of 2005: Nona Cheatham is still music to the ears of White County
   ...
   Nona Cheatham shows the plaque Monday naming her as Arkansas Choral Directors Association 1985 Senior High Director of the Year in her office at her home. She is one of five people to be inducted into the Searcy Public Schools Educational Foundation's Hall of Honor on Jan. 27. (Pat Hambrick/The Daily Citizen)
   
   Recently on stage at Center in the Square in "Foreigner" and then as Aunt Tillie in "It's a Wonderful Life," Nona Johnson Cheatham will be center stage again when she is inducted into the Searcy Educational Hall of Honor Jan. 27.
   
   Cheatham, who taught at Searcy Public Schools for 31 years, is one of three educators and two Searcy High School alumni who will be honored by the Searcy Public Schools Educational Foundation at the second annual banquet and induction ceremony to be held at SHS Sullards Annex Cafeteria.
   ...
   Cheatham and her husband Charles, a coach, moved to Searcy in 1966.
   ...
   Cheatham formally developed the Searcy High School choir program.
   
   She and Elwanda Bell, who taught drama, later started doing a musical production every other year.
   ...
   Cheatham was active in the Arkansas Choral Directors Association, Choral Curriculum Content Guide Committees, and Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, as well as being music director and pianist for various Baptist churches in the area.
   
   In 1982 Cheatham earned a master's degree in music education.
   
   She was chosen as Arkansas Choral Directors Association Senior High Director of the Year in 1985 and was awarded a distinguished directors award in 1994 by the same group.
   
   For the first couple of years after retirement, she continued to teach at SHS as a substitute in the choral department. In 1997 she began teaching part-time as adjunct faculty at ASU,Beebe, where she has taught a beginning music theory class and helped with the choir. This spring semester she will teach voice at ASU-Beebe.
   
   She worked as a CASA volunteer for a year, has directed the Searcy Community Choir, and is a member of Master's Singers.
   
   "I really enjoy Master's Singers and would not want to give that up," she said. Music directors at churches recommend members, and many are male music directors themselves.
   
   They have performed at the Arkansas Baptist Convention and at prisons. This spring the group will go to South Dakota to help churches that have less well-developed music programs.
   
   "We may get to do a concert at Mt. Rushmore," Cheatham said.
   
   Other memorable times with the group include a trip to Germany three summers ago. "It was just wonderful."
   
   Her recent performances at Center on the Square were the first since college.
   
   "I had always wanted to do something like that," Cheatham said Monday.
   
   "I only did one production in college. Music majors don't have much free time." She also didn't have time for acting during the years of teaching and raising children, but retirement is allowing her to pursue more interests.
   
   Cheatham certified as an herbalist in 2004. She grows herbs and is interested in the medicinal properties of herbs. She has always gardened, even when teaching.
   
   "I liked to grow flowers even as a teen. I really enjoy being out of doors." She and her husband have a large garden every summer.
   
   Cheatham was born in Banks, Ark., and graduated from Pine Bluff public schools. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Ouachita Baptist College (now Ouachita Baptist University).
   
   She taught fifth grade in Gould before moving to Searcy with her family.

2. 2. www.thedailycitizen.com

   www.thedailycitizen.com/articl - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/12/2004   Last Visited: 12/12/2004

   The educators include Nona Cheatham, Luther S. Hardin, Sr., and Fran Key.
   ...
   NONA CHEATHAM
   
   Nona Johnson Cheatham was born in Banks, Ark., and attended public schools in Pine Bluff where she graduated in 1954. She earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree at Ouachita Baptist College (now Ouachita Baptist University).
   
   Mrs. Cheatham's first teaching assignment was a fifth grade teacher in the Gould Public Schools. In 1966 the Cheatham family moved to Searcy, and she assumed a music teaching position and taught at Sidney Deener, Searcy Junior High School (now Ahlf Junior High School), and Searcy High School.
   
   In 1982 Mrs. Cheatham earned a masters degree in music education. Following are organizations of which she has been a member and honors that she has received:
   ...
   Mrs. Cheatham retired from Searcy Public Schools in 1995.

3. 3. www.thedailycitizen.com

   www.thedailycitizen.com/articl - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/28/2005   Last Visited: 1/28/2005

   Chrystal Hardin, center, congratulates Nona Cheatham, right, being inducted into the Hall of Honor Thursday night while Charles Cheatham, left, watches.
   ...
   They are Nona Cheatham, Luther Hardin, Justice Darrel Hickman, Fran Key, and Dr. Porter Rodgers Jr.
   ...
   n Nona Cheatham, born in Banks, Ark., came to Searcy in 1966. She taught music at Sidney Deener, Searcy Junior High (now Ahlf Junior High), and Searcy High.
   
   In her 29 years at Searcy High, Cheatham built up the choral program and began a tradition of bringing musicals there every other year.
   
   She received her Masters Degree in music education in 1982, and currently teaches part-time at ASU-Beebe.