Dr. Margene Stokes Whitaker will retire from the DeKalb County School System as a school counselor on June 1. She is the daughter of the late Zelma Stokes of Washington and Freeman Stokes of Banning, California.

Dr. Whitaker is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a real estate agent, and looks forward to doing consulting work in both fields. She says this will allow her the freedom and flexibility to travel. She is married to Baron Whitaker whom she met while both were attending Albany State University in the 1970s. currently in the eighth grade High Achievers Program at Conyers Middle School. The family will follow Ke anu next year to Rockdale County High School and will work with the track program.

Dr. Whitaker says that Superintendent of Wilke s Cou nt y Schools Joyce Williams, and Olivia Jackson, a close friend, recommended her for her first teaching/coaching position at Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School. She says she will always be grateful for that and is very excited about retiring and being able to spend more time in Washington-Wilkes and in Banning, California.