SKY METCALF-DO
Gifted and Talented K-2 Enrichment Teacher for Texarkana, Arkansas School District
Growing up, Skye Metcalf-Do always had wonderful teachers in school, and during her first year at the University of Arkansas, Skye realized she had a love for teaching. “Now, this is my thirteenth year in the classroom, and I am so glad I followed my passion,” Skye says. “It has been one of the best decisions of my life. Seeing my students learn is my driving force and motivation. I work with amazing educators and students every day.”
Skye also came from a family of educators who inspired her. Skye’s mother, Cordia Metcalf, is a retired teacher and former Texarkana, Arkansas School District Teacher of the Year. She retired from the Texarkana, Arkansas School District after 40 years of teaching. Skye’s father, Garry Metcalf, was a coach and teacher. His girls’ track team won state at Arkansas High School. He retired from the Texarkana, Arkansas School District after 38 years. Skye’s sister, Lea Metcalf-McDonald, is a former teacher and administrator. She is the Title One Coordinator for the Texarkana, Arkansas School District, and Skye’s oldest sister, Thelma Metcalf-Forte, is a former principal and teacher for the Texarkana, Arkansas School District. She was also a former Teacher of the Year for the district and Superintendent at Mineral Springs. She is currently working for Edmentum as an administrator. Skye also has a brother-in-law, Tracy Forte, an educator who works for the Texarkana, Texas Independent School District.
Skye is married to Gary Do, the manager of the Arkansas Workforce Center in Hope. He is the youngest manager in the state. “I’m proud of the work he has done assisting our community with employment during this pandemic,” Skye says. “I also want to say that I’ve had family members who have passed and family members who are still recovering from COVID-19. I would like the community to know that I am very thankful for everything our front-line workers have done for us throughout this pandemic. Thank you for your support, love, and sacrifices you have made for our community and country.”
Gary and Skye are extremely proud of their three-year-old son, who just started pre-school. “I am most proud of being a mother and wife,” Skye says. “My husband and I struggled for years to have a child. In 2018, after seven years of marriage, the Lord blessed us with a son. Skye says that their family is unique because both Skye and Gary’s family can get together during the holidays and throughout the year as one big family. “It’s something my husband and I both enjoy and look forward to,” Skye says. “Also, I have such a talented and interesting family. My uncle Jim Barnes played professional basketball and won a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. He also won a National Championship with the Boston Celtics and is in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. My uncle Leonard Person was recognized at the Pentagon for saving a pregnant lady who drove off into the Potomac River because she went into a diabetic coma. My dad also comes from a family of professional football players. About 12 years ago, the state of Arkansas named a road after my dad’s family in Devalls Bluff, Arkansas.” Skye has always looked up to her mother, Cordia Metcalf, and her mother-in-law, Angie Bui. “My mother is the strongest person I know. She picked cotton as a child and went to a segregated school until high school. She has been through so much in her life, but she has never lost her faith. She has always been there to support, motivate, and encourage me,” Skye says. “My mother-in-law is a Vietnamese Refugee. She risked her life to come to America at the end of the Vietnam war. She spent days in the ocean on a small boat before she was rescued. She is also a two-time cancer survivor.”
When Skye has some free time after working and spending time with family, she enjoys playing piano, decorating, and crafting. Earlier this year, Skye started running; at first, she could barely run half a mile. “After the birth of my son, I started to struggle with my weight. My diet was all wrong, and I stopped exercising. I noticed it wasn’t necessarily the amount I was eating, but it was what I was eating,” Skye says. “After spring break this year, I decided I needed to make a big change. I hired a nutritionist, changed how I was eating, and started exercising. I’ve lost forty pounds, and I feel amazing. I have so much more energy. It was a struggle at first, but it has been so rewarding. It helped because my husband and family have been supportive throughout the entire process. Now, I run between five and seven miles three times a week.”
Personally and professionally, Skye has many accomplishments. She is no stranger to setting goals and meeting them. “I am proud to be the first African American twirler at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. I twirled at the University of Arkansas from 2005 until I graduated in 2009,” Skye says. “I am most proud of obtaining my masters in administration from Arkansas State University and masters in kinesiology from Southern Arkansas University. I’m proud my father, Garry Metcalf, was able to see me graduate with my first master’s before he passed away four months after the graduation ceremony.”
Even though Skye is already a licensed and certified administrator, she is not content to be stagnant. Her long-term goals include finishing her current course work and continuing to service gifted and talented students. “I consider myself a life-long learner, and I am currently taking college courses again from Arkansas State University. My ultimate goal is to one day have a Ph.D. in education,” Skye says. “I hope I am remembered for being a Christian, a devoted wife, loving mother, caring daughter, supportive sister, dedicated educator, and a community member who loved and cared about others. I want to be remembered as an individual who was a positive example for the youth in our community.”