For the last week, Karim Oaks, director of instruction at Morgan Academy, has been showered with gifts from current and past students and their families to congratulate her on being inducted into the Alabama Independent School Association Hall of Fame.

Oaks was officially inducted along with 11 other educators Monday night in Montgomery.

“I’m pretty excited,” Oaks said. “I’ve had a few exciting days leading up to this. A lot of people have wished me well and they’ve showered me with flowers and candy and gifts. It’s been kind of nice just to hear from people to let me know that I’ve meant something to them and their families and their children.”

Oaks first stepped into the halls of Morgan Academy as a first grader and later graduated in 1979. Nine years later, she would rejoin the school as a part time teacher.

Through the years, Oaks became a full-time instructor and worked with the school’s cheerleading squad, scholars bowl and is now working with the Student Government Association.

Having spent so much of her life at Morgan and impacting as many students as she has, Morgan guidance counselor Sheryl Schroeder and the Board of Directors nominated her to be selected as a 2015 inductee.

“I am thrilled. This is a long time coming. She’s just very deserving,” Schroeder said.

“Karim has been with Morgan since she was in first grade. I’m just thrilled that she’s finally getting the recognition that she highly deserves.”

Oaks said she was excited to be at the ceremony alongside so many people that she has looked up to over the years, and said she was honored to be able to stand beside them as a member of the Hall of Fame.

“Several of these people I’ve know throughout the years and have looked up to [were inducted],” Oaks said.