Elaine began as a teacher in the third grade at Bryant Elementary School as she emulated her wonderful teacher during recess and every other play time she could pretend to be at school.  After graduation, she continued with this dream to become a real teacher.  She went to school nights and summers while working at North Sand Mountain School as the secretary and a bus driver.  During this time, she married Harry Buckner, had three children, and eventually earned a degree in teaching. The high schools she taught at were North Sand Mountain, Stevenson, and North Jackson. She returned to North Sand Mountain as Assistant Principal and later married Dan Slater.  The last years of her high school career in education were spent as principal at North Sand Mountain.  She retired in 2000 and began teaching at NACC in 2002.