GOLDSBORO, N.C. — Jerry Jackson, a custodian at Meadowlane Elementary School, was surprised during his lunch break in September when he became the latest recipient of Team Automotive Group: Team Chevrolet of Goldsboro’s School TEAM Member of the Month recognition.

Jackson, who has dedicated 31 years to maintaining Meadowlane Elementary, was selected by his peers for going above and beyond his regular duties. With the school’s head custodian, Mr. Tracy, temporarily absent, Jackson assumed additional responsibilities while maintaining his characteristic commitment to ensuring the building remained ready for learning each day.

“I was eating my delicious fried chicken dinner when these two ladies came around the curve and said, surprise,” Jackson recalled of the moment he learned about the recognition. “I was kind of shocked and I was proud that they thought about me like that.”

The recognition is part of Team Automotive Group’s broader community engagement strategy, now in its second year. What began as a Teacher of the Month program has evolved into the School TEAM Member of the Month initiative, expanding recognition to include all school staff members—from teachers and administrators to cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and custodians.

From Teacher Recognition to Whole-School Appreciation

The program launched in August of the previous year as Teacher of the Month, but organizers quickly realized the initiative could have an even greater impact by acknowledging the entire school workforce.

“We wanted to include everyone in the school building,” explained Jennifer from Team Automotive Group. “We love our teachers, but we wanted to include everyone in the school building.”

The transition proved to be a natural evolution. When Jennifer reached out to Principal Melissa Edgerton about expanding the program, the response was enthusiastic and immediate. “Within probably an hour of the email being sent, Melissa replied with an immediate ‘yep, let’s do it,’” Jennifer said.

For Jennifer, the most memorable moments come from the surprise presentations, especially when teachers are recognized in their classrooms. “I would come and especially if it was a teacher in the classroom, I’m super excited about everybody else, but we would walk the halls, go into the classroom, and the kids were probably more excited than the teacher was,” she said. “Because they would be so excited when she would walk in and say, you know, whoever the teacher’s name was, hey, you’re the Teacher of the Month, because they all knew about the program, right? But they didn’t know who was selected until I showed up.”

The element of surprise has become a hallmark of the program. “I’ll tell them, my whole family. That I’m going to Meadowlane today. I’m so excited,” Jennifer said. “Cause the kids are just, it’s really cool to see the kids’ reactions, to see the teacher’s reactions. I love that Melissa doesn’t tell them first.”

A Philosophy of Community Integration

The program operates across all five Team Automotive Group’s locations and was initiated by owner Kristin Dillard Sodoma approximately four years ago as part of a comprehensive vision to establish the dealership as an integral part of the community.

“She came to me about maybe four years ago and said, I need you to get our name in the community now,” Jennifer explained. “And she said, do whatever you need to do. She gave me a budget to spend and I spent every penny to get our name out there within the community.”

“We don’t want people to just think that we sell cars by service cars. We have a collision center here,” Jennifer said. “So we want to get our name out in the community in small ways. This is just one small way. It’s impactful for one person, but it’s just one small way for us to show the community that we’re here. We’re here to help. We’re your friends.”

The dealership’s community engagement extends well beyond the school recognition program. Team Chevrolet of Goldsboro hosts trunk-or-treat events at the end of October, recently conducted a book bag drive distributing supplies to students with no strings attached, and emphasizes genuine community support without using events as marketing opportunities.

“We’re not there to get your phone number, get your email, come get a book bag, walk away. Come get some candy, walk away,” Jennifer said. “We want the community to know that we’re more than just selling cars.”

The company even established a dedicated team for these efforts, initially called Grassroots and now renamed Core Team. “Because we talk about our culture within our store. And then we talk about how we can help the community? What things can we do?” Jennifer explained.

Why Meadowlane Elementary?

The partnership with Meadowlane Elementary was a natural choice based on proximity and mission alignment. “We picked Meadowlane because literally Team Chevrolet of Goldsboro’s dealership, I don’t even know if it’s five miles down the road. We’re that close to Meadowlane,” Jennifer said. “And we knew we wanted an Elementary school. Regarding the proximity, and the initial idea to set our initiative through an Elementary school, Meadowlane was a great fit.”

The location allows for meaningful, sustained engagement rather than spreading resources too thin. “Now we will only do this in one school because, do you know how many elementary schools there are in Goldsboro? In Wayne County? Yeah, a lot. So we cannot do that,” Jennifer acknowledged.

Despite focusing on one school, the ripple effects have been significant. As Jennifer pulled into the parking lot for Jackson’s recognition, she noticed interest from other schools. “I think it is Moss Hill Elementary? They sent over something regarding a request for a donation. So I think they see that we’re helping,” she said.

Peer-Driven Recognition Process

Principal Edgerton has developed a streamlined process for selecting honorees that ensures fairness and authentic recognition. Staff members receive a form listing all employees, and they vote for the colleague they believe deserves recognition.

“I just have it in a form. And I have every staff member’s name there. And so they can scroll through, find that person that they want to pick, and vote for them,” Edgerton explained. Once someone is selected, their name is removed from future forms to ensure different staff members receive recognition throughout the year.

“I just tell them that, you know, it’s time for us to vote on this month’s team member of the month. And, you know, to please select a staff member that, you know, you would like to see recognized for their contributions to the school,” she said.

The timeline is carefully coordinated. “My goal is by Friday to email Jennifer the names of whoever is selected for this month. And then we’ll probably coordinate a time for her to come out one day next week and give that to them. We’ll take their picture. I’ll put it on our school social media and recognize them that way,” Edgerton explained.

Recognizing Every Role’s Importance

Edgerton emphasized that the expanded program allows for recognition of roles that are critical but often overlooked. “I did not put myself on the list,” she admitted when asked. “And, you know, I agree with Jennifer. There are so many people in this building. And I tell them, I tell the staff all the time, there’s no easy job here. And there’s not any non-important jobs either.”

She specifically highlighted the importance of custodial staff like Jackson. “Somebody like Mr. Jerry being recognized. I mean, he is, our custodial team is instrumental in our building being ready for learning, you know. And, or, you know, our cafeteria staff, our bus drivers are the first people that greet our students every day. And sometimes the last ones to see them.”

The reason Jackson’s colleagues voted for him was clear to Edgerton. “I think part of why they recognized him was, I think they witnessed that he poured so much of himself into his job every day. Meadowlane is truly, I mean, this team works tremendously hard in every room, in every position. But I think that they saw how much extra he was doing in the absence of his partner.”

With Mr. Tracy, the head custodian, being out, Jackson stepped up significantly. “Mr. Tracy is our head custodian and with him being out, Mr. Jerry had to step in and take on extra responsibilities in his absence. I believe a lot of people voted for him just because they saw how much extra he was pouring himself into that,” Edgerton said.

Building Excitement and Camaraderie

The surprise element creates genuine excitement throughout the building. “Even my office staff’s like, can you tell me who it’s going to be? I’m like, no, no, you’ll have to wait,” Edgerton said with a laugh. “I think it’s fun for the surprise.”

After each recognition, the news spreads quickly through the school community. “I will email out to like, not only do I put it on our social media, but I email out to the staff and say, hey, we want to congratulate whoever for being recognized. It just kind of builds up a little bit of excitement in the building too,” Edgerton explained.

What Recipients Receive

The recognition package has evolved since the program’s inception. Originally, honorees received a Yeti cup with the Team Automotive Group logo on one side and “Teacher of the Month” on the other, along with a coupon for a complimentary tire rotation, oil change, and car wash.

“So it’s a Yeti cup again, just changed the logo on it. And they still get the coupon for the oil change, and the tire rotation, along with a car wash,” Jennifer said. “And I also add in a notebook and a little lanyard. I threw a couple of extra things in. And I come in with a bag now. I used to just come in with a cup and a coupon. So now I have a little bag. So it looks a little bit nicer.”

The presentation has become more polished while maintaining its heartfelt nature. Team Automotive Group also shares the recognition on social media, with Jennifer coordinating to receive photos typically by the 10th of each month for posting.

Expanding to Athlete of the Month

Building on the success of the School TEAM Member initiative, Team Automotive Group launched an Athlete of the Month program this year at Wayne Preparatory Academy High School, also implemented across all five dealership locations.

“I gave them the same thing. I receive a name.I told everybody how you do it because I think it’s great. It’s better than you just saying, who’s my best friend?” Jennifer said. “It’s fair for the peers to pick them. So I love that idea.”

For the athlete recognition, Jennifer suggested a specific criteria. “I suggested going off of grades, attendance, and disciplinary aspects because it’s an actual student that is getting picked. The student being recognized receives a bag of goodies that is sports related because to solidify the Athlete of the Month initiative,” she explained.

Jerry Jackson’s 31-Year Journey

Jackson’s three-decade commitment to Meadowlane Elementary began unexpectedly. When asked what drew him to working in a school environment, he replied simply: “I was just sitting at home and somebody offered me the job and I took it.”

His daily responsibilities encompass the full spectrum of custodial work. “Doing everything. I mean, buffing floors and doing everything, basically everything,” Jackson said when asked to describe a typical day.

The unpredictable nature of the work keeps him engaged. “You plan your day, but it rarely goes as planned. Which is good, it keeps me awake. Especially on days like today.” Jerry said.

Jackson will celebrate his work anniversary next month and receive longevity pay—a milestone that reflects his enduring dedication to the school.

When asked what the honor means to him personally, Jackson responded: “It means a whole lot, you know, considering the way I work and stuff.” He added with characteristic humor: “And I was hoping they would get me a new car to pick up.”

His genuine surprise at receiving the recognition reflected his humble nature. When asked if he was surprised that people recognized his contributions, Jackson said: “Well, I was kind of shocked and I was proud that they thought about me like that.”

The recognition also demonstrated to Jackson how much his colleagues value him. “They care about me a whole lot,” he said simply.

Looking Ahead

As the School TEAM Member of the Month program continues at Meadowlane Elementary, staff members are already casting votes for the next honoree. The initiative represents a sustainable model of community engagement that benefits both the school and the dealership while, most importantly, recognizing individuals like Jerry Jackson whose daily contributions make education possible.

For Jennifer, who manages these programs across five locations, the personal rewards are immeasurable. The monthly visits to Meadowlane have become a highlight of her work, demonstrating that sometimes the most meaningful community connections come from simply showing up to say “thank you.”

And for Team Chevrolet Goldsboro, the program is another way to live out their promise: You’re our neighbor, not a number. By supporting local schools and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the dealership is deepening its role as a trusted neighbor invested in the future of its community.