Gail Scott Taylor: Ebonettes 2020 “Dare to Make a Difference” Honoree
DURHAM, NC – Gail Scott Taylor lives by the words of her favorite bible verse (Psalm 138:8), “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” Her life’s work as an educator, educational consultant, political campaign volunteer, and ordained deacon led to the Ebonettes Service Club honoring Scott-Taylor with the 2020 “Dare to Make a Difference” Award (virtually)in the Service to Youth, Education, and Political Involvement.
Taylor would have been honored at The Ebonettes Service Club’s 48th Founders Day that was scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 2020. The Covid 19 pandemic canceled the celebration. Since 2002, the Founders Day program annually has showcased hard-working Durham citizens in the “Dare to Make A Difference Recognition Program.”
The other outstanding 2020 “Dare to Make a Difference” Honorees are Kasib Abdullah, Juliet Black, Garisha Davis, Joseph K. Davis, Jr., Rev. Dr. William M. McCoy, Jr., Angela Pittman, and Judge Doretta Walker.
About Gail Scott Taylor
Gail Scott Taylor was born in Edgecombe County (Tarboro, NC), graduating from Southern Senior High School in Bailey, NC. She attended North Carolina Central University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education in 1979 and a master’s in education in 1988. She earned her Post-Master’s certificate in school leadership and administration from Appalachian State University in 2018. She is a licensed K-12 administrator and educator.
Gail began her career as an educator in Hillsborough, NC as a fourth-grade teacher from 1979-1986. In 1986, she accepted a teaching position with Durham Public Schools at R. N. Harris Integrated Arts and Core Knowledge Magnet School as a fifth-grade teacher. While teaching full-time, Gail also took on major professional development roles at the district and national levels. She worked on the district’s math professional development team and became a national trainer with the National Core Knowledge Foundation. That position enabled her to travel to schools across the country, providing training and professional development in the implementation of the National Core Knowledge Model.
In 1988, Gail accepted a position as an educational consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in the Officer of Charter Schools. One of her major duties was to secure federal public charter school funds for charter schools across the state by applying for federal dollars through the Public Charter Schools Grant Program. As a result, she was successful in leading the state in receiving more than 20 million dollars over a three-year period (2001-2004) to support public charter schools.
Leaving her job with NC State government in 2004, Gail accepted the challenge to take over the leadership of Carter Community Charter School in Durham. Although the school had experienced numerous compliance issues since its opening in 1998, she accepted the challenge and trusted that her faith in God and a strong background in school reform and innovation could lead to the successful transformation of the school. She served there as the executive director and principal until 2016. Gail temporarily retired after working tirelessly from 1979 to 2016; however, she recently returned to Githens Middle School to teach English Language Arts (ELA) and work as a peer reviewer for the Federal Public Charter Schools Grant Program in Washington, DC.
Gail joined Union Baptist Church in 1986. Today she proudly serves the church as an ordained deacon, a member of the UBC Soul Patrol, the Education Ministry, Sunday school, and Wednesday Night Bible Class. In the past, she was a member of the Adult Choir, the Youth Missionary Advisory Board, and the Board of Christian Education in addition to serving as an usher and a vacation bible school teacher.
Gail is politically active within the community; she currently volunteers with the Durham Civil Rights Workers Committee. In previous years, she volunteered for both of the presidential campaigns for the former President Barack Obama and the campaign to elect Hilary Clinton in 2016.
Through the years, Gail has benefitted from numerous professional opportunities that have allowed her to collaborate with like-minded peers both locally and nationally. Through these opportunities, she has received professional certificates, specialized training, and participation in political advocacy work that she strongly supports. A few of the most notable ones are being recognized as a founding member of the North Carolina Charter School Association (vice president from 2008 to 2015); recipient of the NC Charter School “Principal of the Year,” given by the NC League of Charter Schools; recognition as an inaugural member of the National Public Charter Schools Leaders of Color Legislative Advocacy Team (Washington, DC). Among Gail Scott Taylor’s favorite things is being the mother of one daughter, Jasmine Davina Taylor, who lives in Nashville, TN. During her leisure time, she likes to read, play Bingo on her computer, watch sports, and just relax at home.