Margaret Grimes, a life-long Conway resident, received her BSE from UCA. She began her teaching career in Conway Public Schools in the mid-1970s, teaching fifth grade for 15 years at Ellen Smith Elementary. While at Ellen Smith, she was named the 1989 District Teacher of the Year. She then taught Social Studies and Arkansas History at Conway Junior High and Bob Courtway Middle School, where she was again named teacher of the year. After 34 years of service to the district, she retired in 2010.
Filled with a great passion for education and teaching, Grimes continued to further her own education, obtaining a Masters Degree and numerous post-graduate and professional hours. She served on the state-wide committee that created the Arkansas History curriculum used by all state schools and mentored many student teachers in her classroom. She also mentored and advised her fellow teachers, helping them in many ways.