Marquita Goins is Eagle Tire Pros “Educator of the Week”

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- We’ve all had that teacher who inspired us or helped in some way. That’s why WLAF and Eagle Tire Pros salute one of our hard working educators with a weekly feature. Teachers make a difference in their students lives each and every day. For many students, having a teacher who cares and goes that extra mile can be the difference in a successful education and graduation.

Marquita Goins is Eagle Tire Pros Educator of the Week. She is a Special Education teaching assistant at LaFollette Elementary School.

Goins was raised in the Gladespring/Victory Community, “a country girl for sure” as she puts it.

Her dad is the late Whit Goins, and her mother is Beatrice (Poston) Goins.

Her hobbies include reading, quilting, embroidery, and “reading and learning about common herbs” something that was sparked for her at a young age by her Mamaw.

“My Mamaw Katie showed me weeds in our yard we could eat, what she called spring salad. I grew up working in tobacco from a young age up to adulthood and raised cattle with my family,” Goins said. She “married a country feller named Jim” and they’ve been married over 30 years. She attends church at Bethlehem Baptist Church.

Her family used to “sing and travel all over Campbell County, parts of Scott County, Knoxville and also some in Virginia” and “used to be on the radio station on the John Webb Show and others.”

“My two kids were raised on the road, singing and playing music for the Lord. My son is Colton Goins and wife Celia and my grandbaby Harper. My daughter is Kaylee (Goins) Proffitt and husband Paul Proffitt and my grandbabies Hunter and Shyla.”

She worked at various factories in the area, before she began substitute teaching at Valley View Elementary and East LaFollette.

“I subbed in Special Education at Jacksboro for a teacher on maternity leave and fell in love with the kids. I got offered a Special Ed Assistant job at East LaFollette and when we moved to LaFollette Elementary School, I got hired full time October 2007,” Goins said.

Her inspiration to go into education came from her own experiences from a young age.

“What inspired me, was that when I was Elementary School, I was behind in reading; I was in Title 1 – I got caught up with my grade and having someone to care meant a lot to me. I wanted to help others and see them accomplish their goals, because I was there at one time and I know the pride of getting there,” Goins said.

Her favorite part of her job is “seeing the kids light up reaching their goals; sometimes it takes years, but it’s a reward when it happens, it makes it all worth it,” Goins said.

Another favorite is working at LaFollette Elementary School.

“I enjoy working with the people I work with. It takes us all as a whole to make it work, we all have our special talent to make it work,” Goins said.

Every Thursday, WLAF’s Charlotte Underwood features the WLAF – Eagle Tire Pros “Educator of the Week”. That educator also receives a free oil change from Eagle Tire Pros. To nominate a teacher for teacher of the week honors, please send your nomination to wlaf@1450wlaf.com. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-01/01/2026-6AM)