THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603080236
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
IT WAS A FRIEND'S adverse reaction to an over-the-counter weight-loss pill that first triggered Cynthia Buck's passion for science.
``From that point on, I wanted to know about medications, . . . the bio-chem aspects,'' she says.
That was in junior high. Now Buck is an award-winning high school chemistry teacher - and reigning as Portsmouth's Teacher of the Year. The Scottish Rite Association recently held a banquet in her honor, presenting her with $500 and a plaque.
Buck has worked at I.C. Norcom High School for 16 of the 17 years she has been teaching. Her first year, 1979-80, was at Norview High School in Norfolk.
``I love high school children,'' she says. ``I love that 13-to-22 age group. This is the time in life when you really have a chance to plant a seed of knowledge.''
Buck, whose students refer to her as ``Ma Buck,'' describes herself as a teacher who is caring, warm, a little crazy but most of all loving.
``And it has helped the kids, too, academically because when they get in the room and they see that I'm not Attila the Hun - that I'm really their friend, their parent, their instructor and all of that in one - then they can get over their fear, and they can get right down to work.''
Buck grew up in Norfolk and is a product of the Norfolk Public School System. She earned her undergraduate degree at Old Dominion University.
``I was a pre-med major, and I had finished that program in three years, but I knew I wanted to teach school. So the last year, I came back and doubled up on education courses.''
In her college-level science courses, Buck often would be one of only a handful of females in a class.
``Once,'' in a graduate-level meteorology class she took as an elective her senior year, ``I was the only female in a room full of Navy officers.
``These men worked on ships every day, so they were out there gathering samples, doing testing - and I was only a senior in college, and I just knew I was going to fail that class.''
The men would come in each day and talk shop, ``which was way above my head.''
Buck passed the class with a C, but she says the experience ``pushed the panic button.''
She managed to hang in there because of one desire, she says simply.
``I wanted to teach.''
Name: Cynthia Diane Buck
Nickname: ``Ma Buck''
Birthplace: Community Hospital, Norfolk
Occupation: High school chemistry teacher/church minister
What job other than your own would you like? Dean of education at a major university (the key person in charge of teacher training/advising).
Marital status: Single (and available!)
Children: None
Fondest childhood memory: Christmastime at the Buck house, a child's paradise.
First concert: Third-grade field trip to the Norfolk Symphony.
What song or book title best describes your life? ``The Gospel Pearl Hymnal,'' a very old black-American gospel song book.
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? Would build a new church for my church family (a mega building) and be a blessing to myself and my family.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Oprah Winfrey. I would just like to be in the limelight and live like a queen. Also, I would like the glamour and the pictures with Stedman!
Biggest accomplishment: Of course being named Teacher of the Year for the entire city of Portsmouth. I feel that I've finally gotten the rewards of teaching. I am glad that somebody out there recognizes that Ma Buck is doing something good for somebody.
Most embarrassing moment: Falling in the hallway at the end of school with the halls full of students and sliding with my skirt up for about three feet.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My shy ways in high school and ODU. I should have taken the Ma Buck confidence approach to life about 20 years ago. I guess that's why I push my students so hard to go for it. You can do anything in life except give up.
Perfect way to spend the day: Quietly at home listening to CDs, watching my favorite shows on television and playing my keyboard.
I can't resist: Spending money on good food and nice clothes.
Favorite restaurant: Red Lobster
Favorite hangout: Military Circle
If you had three wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
Better relationships between all citizens of the city.
More adequate funding for educational programs.
More retail businesses for the city. Give the kids more pride in the city. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Cynthia Buck
by CNB