“JACQUELINE SULLENGER-PAINTER has changed the world with her teaching,” said her mother, Kim Dodson. “She is a certified teacher who owns Caterpillar Academy in Tullahoma, and she’s overcome many adversities in her life. At age 4, she was diagnosed with epilepsy, a seizure disorder. Because she struggled with reading, she was placed in a Chapter One reading program that helped her tremendously.
“The teachers at Bel Aire Elementary encouraged her, and the summer between first and second grade, she read over 130 books. By fifth grade, she was reading at a seventh-grade level. By ninth grade, she was struggling with math and language, so teachers encouraged her to take a ‘tech path’ and not one that would lead to college. She proved them wrong when she graduated with honors from Tennessee Tech.”
As a native of Tullahoma, Sullenger-Painter never let her battle with epilepsy hold her back. Even at a young age, she crafted an extraordinary list of accomplishments, including being selected as the 2008 Miss Motlow Representative. She earned the Girl Scouts of Tennessee Silver and Gold Award and was nominated as a Girl Scout representative. In 2004, she was chosen as the Lions Club LEO of the Year and was the Volunteer of the Year for the Tennessee Junior Auxiliary for three years in a row.
She coached the Pop Warner cheerleading team for the Tullahoma Frank Mullins Football League from 2006 to 2013, is involved with events at the South Jackson Civic Center, and serves on its operation board. She is an annual performer at Peggy Burton’s “South Jackson Goes Country” hosted by the Performing Arts Center, a member of Highland Baptist Church, and a loving wife and devoted mother.
She and her husband, Wesley, experienced infertility and recurrent miscarriages for five years. Sullenger-Painter credits her number one accomplishment in life as having her son, Pearson, five years ago. She’d grown accustomed to buckling down and studying harder to overcome past academic challenges, but in the years before her son was born, Sullenger-Painter learned that some things in life are beyond our control. This heartache stretched her faith beyond what she imagined, and now, her “mischievous” little boy serves as a daily reminder that nothing is ever impossible with God.
“Among other accomplishments, I graduated from Tennessee Technological University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary science for pre-K through sixth grade. For the last 13 years, I’ve proudly owned my own preschool, Caterpillar Academy, and recently purchased Yardy Party TN. Over the years, I’ve tried to always give back to my community by volunteering my time and participating in activities,” said Sullenger-Painter.
The experiences of her childhood fondly influenced her career choice.
“I chose to work with children because my mother kept kids, and I saw the enjoyment she got out of the profession. Over the years, I participated in a lot of volunteer work. Some of the opportunities were being a counselor for Girl Scouts, teaching Bible school, and coaching Pop Warner cheerleading. Through these activities and being inspired by other teachers, it inspired me to this profession.
“The most important aspect of my job is that my kids at Caterpillar Academy are allowed to be kids. They are learning new things while having fun. But most of all, my students know they are loved. We never say ‘I can’t’ in our school. We try, and then we try again until we achieve our goal. I fully believe everyone learns better based on what they enjoy.”
When asked who her biggest cheerleader has been, it was no surprise that Sullenger-Painter named her mother, Kim Dodson, who has always lovingly pushed her to keep moving forward.
“A lot of people would not know meeting me that I have epilepsy. It made a lot of obstacles when it came to learning. I struggled in school and always had to work a little harder. My mom was there, always pushing and fighting for me when it came to my education. She always held me to high expectations. I learned a long time ago nothing can hold you back, and you never use your diagnosis as an excuse. I am very thankful for that because it gave me an excellent work ethic and made me hold myself to higher expectations.”
Whether teaching her students at Caterpillar Academy, leading a lesson at vacation Bible school, or singing and dancing at the South Jackson Performing Arts Center, Sullenger-Painter is actively weaving a legacy of teaching others never to underestimate themselves. GN