By Heather Darrow
Special Contributor

A U.S. congressman, a member of the Texas house of representative, judges, mayors and city commissioners, council members and superintendents were among the hundreds of people attending the Collin College 2007 Living Legends celebration.

Mary Alice Skaggs

Elegant piano music set the stage for many former students to honor 99-year-old Mary Alice Skaggs, a Celina resident known for her presence and grace, who taught English, journalism and economics for 31 years at Plano ISD. The first Plano ISD teacher to hold a master’s degree, Skaggs is heralded for her creation of the Junior Thursday Study Club which provided students with life-long leadership skills.

Nancy Boyd

Honoree Nancy Boyd shared her experiences as a young teacher trying to emulate Skaggs’ command of the classroom. Former Plano ISD teacher and counselor, Boyd is now the Rockwall ISD coordinator of counselors. Area youth in need inspired Boyd to help create CITY House, a Plano shelter for children aged 10-17 and My Friend’s House, a new shelter serving children from 0-9 years. Boyd also serves as a board member for the Hendrick Academy of Honor which provides scholarships for students who have overcome adversity.

Neil and Lynn Sperry

The dire need of area youth has also inspired honorees and McKinney residents Lynn and Neil Sperry. Together they have served as founding members of the Serenity High Advisory Board since the nation’s only public recovery high school opened nine years ago, in addition to serving as board members of McKinney’s Avenues Counseling Center for 10 years. A driving force behind the founding of the McKinney Education Foundation, Lynn served as a trustee for McKinney ISD for 24 years and a member of the Texas Association of School Boards for 12 years. Neil has served on the board of the Denton State School (also serving Collin County) for 15 years, is in the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and was named U.S. Garden Communicator of the Year by the American Association of Nurserymen. Neil was also a founding force in The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney, and he and Lynn have served on the board since its inception in 1999. 

The event came full circle when Neil Sperry thanked Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, the 2007 Diamond Presenting Sponsor for the Living Legends event, for saving the life of a family member. In turn, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano President Jerri Garison shared the story of how her children attended Collin College. Because of the tireless community efforts of the 2007 Living Legends honorees and their supportive guests, more students will receive scholarships, have the opportunity to earn a college degree and follow in the footsteps of their benefactors to become future Living Legends.

For more information or photos of the 2007 Living Legends event, visit the website at http://foundation.ccccd.org/livinglegends.

2007 Collin College Living Legends