From staff reports

The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce has named its nominees for the 2008 Elementary and Secondary Teacher of the Year.

If you go

The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce will name its Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year at its annual membership luncheon, set for noon Jan. 28 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. The chamber will also name its Business of the Year and Businessperson of the Year. Tickets are $35 per person and $280 for a table of eight. For reservations, call 601-636-1012. The deadline is Jan. 23.

The chamber will announce the winners at noon Jan. 28 at its annual membership luncheon. The speaker will be Marshall Ramsey, editorial cartoonist for The Clarion-Ledger and two-time Pulitzer finalist.

The Teacher of the Year program was started in 1990. Nominees are selected by peers from their schools. Winners are named by five retired educators who screen the nominees’ applications and conduct interviews. The two winners will each receive $1,000 and a plaque.

The 18 nominees:

Tommie V. Allen

School — Vicksburg Intermediate, fifth grade

Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Tougaloo College

Membership/activities — Mississippi Association of Educators, National Education Association, Vicksburg Warren Association of Educators, National Council of Teachers of English

Philosophy — “I believe that all children can learn and want to learn. Children have different learning styles and intelligences. As a teacher, it’s my responsibility to find out as much as I can about my students’ learning styles and provide them with many opportunities to succeed.”

Angeline Baker

School — Warrenton Elementary, fifth grade

Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Mississippi State University

Philosophy — “I believe that education should inspire students to learn. It should help them rise up from where they are and/or rise above their goals. Education should promote honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, perseverance and self-discipline. Education must prepare students for their future lives by them taking command of self and making use of all their capabilities.”

Lakesha Batty

School — Grove Street, pre-algebra

Education — Bachelor’s degree in health science, Alcorn State University; Master of Education in biology, ASU; educational administration, University of Louisiana at Monroe

Membership/activities — L.A.C.U.E., ASU Vicksburg-Warren Alumni Association, current treasurer and previous secretary for Warrenton Elementary PTO

Philosophy — “Before I can teach a child anything, I must first understand how the student learns. Children possess diverse learning styles and skill levels that can be enhanced through a variety of teaching strategies. It is my job as a teacher to create an environment where every child can learn and achieve.”

Herman Biedenharn

School — Warren Central Junior High, history

Education — Bachelor’s degree in history, Belhaven College

Philosophy — “Understanding, tolerance and patience are three key components to my method of teaching. I do my best to try and understand why a student behaves or misbehaves in the classroom or out. When I have a clear understanding or even a partial understanding of any given student, it allows me to take action that should be appropriate for that specific student.”

Uretka Callon

School — Dana Road Elementary, kindergarten

Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Alcorn State University; master’s in elementary education, ASU; Doctor of Philosophy in progress, educational leadership, Jackson State University

Membership/activities — National Education Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. 

Philosophy — “In today’s educational society, where there is a publicized lack of parental involvement, most students are disadvantaged from the first day they step on school grounds. They often come to school lacking several factors that usually ensure success in school. These factors — parental involvement, schema, compassionate teachers and a sense of self-worth — are factors in which an effective teacher should be able to encompass naturally. As an experienced educator, I have witnessed the beneficial effects of the incorporation of these four factors.”

Leandrew Drake Jr.

School — Vicksburg Junior High, eighth grade

Education — Bachelor’s degree in history, Mississippi College; M.A.T. in education, Alcorn State University; master’s in educational leadership, MC

Philosophy — “As a result of my environment, my philosophy of teaching has become to empower students with the necessary tools to be successful. These tools are self-confidence, self-motivation and independence. These three tools combined will empower students to meet the demands of today and the challenges of tomorrow.”

Wade Hammack

School — Warren Central High, math

Education — Bachelor’s degree in history, Mississippi State University; master’s in secondary school administration, Mississippi College

Membership/activities — Vicksburg Church of Christ

Philosophy — “I try to enter each class period with the belief that the information that I plan to give that particular period is so important that each student must master it in order to be successful at the next level. I then try my best to get this material across in a meaningful way so the student will see that it is in their best interest to learn it.”

Patti C. Hannon

School — Redwood Elementary, special education

Education — Bachelor’s in elementary education, University of Mississippi; master’s in early childhood education, UM

Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Teachers Association

Philosophy — “I have a very simple philosophy of teaching: All students are capable of learning. All students are unique and special. My goal as a special education teacher is to ensure that all my students learn as much as they are capable of learning. It might take these students a little longer than most to learn to read or write a sentence or to add and subtract math problems, but with encouragement and persistence, they come to realize they can learn.”

Frances Hawkinson

School — Porters Chapel Academy, fifth and sixth grades

Education — Bachelor’s in education, Nicholls State University

Philosophy — “I believe each child can learn. I must make room for every child to learn in his or her own way. I believe I make my day and my students’ day good or bad. If I set a good example, it is often easier for students to see, rather than hear, what they should learn.”

Marion Margaret Hern

School — Beechwood Elementary, fourth grade

Education — Associate’s degree in business administration, Hinds Community College; bachelor’s in business management, University of Southern Mississippi; master’s in elementary education, Alcorn State University

Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Educators, PTA

Philosophy — “Greeting my students each morning is a joy! The anticipation of how much knowledge they will absorb each day — as a teacher — is an encouraging factor of my job. My goal is to embrace lifelong learners in my students.”

Linda E. Hicks

School — Vicksburg High, biology teacher and department chair

Education — Bachelor’s degree, Alcorn State University; Master of Science Education in Biology, ASU

Membership/activities — National Science Teacher Association, Mississippi Science Teacher Association, National Association of Educators, Mississippi Association of Educators, National Biology Teacher, Mississippi Biology Teacher, Vicksburg Association of Educators

Philosophy — “Education is very important in every chid’s life. Every child deserves the best education he or she can get. I believe that education is an individually unique experience for every student who enters my classroom. We, as teachers, must fully understand the importance of our job.”

Vickie Baker Hopkins

School — St. Aloysius High, band and choral director, general music teacher

Education — Bachelor’s in music education, Mississippi Valley State University; master’s in music education, University of Mississippi

Membership/activities — Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Tau Beta Sigma Band Sorority

Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is simple, but (is) an approach that I feel goes beyond the subject matter. I am a music teacher according to my description; but as an educator in daily contact with my students, I try to incorporate life experiences along with my teachings. When I teach my classes, whether it’s band, choral music or general music, I teach respect for oneself and most importantly for others.”

Chandra A. James

School — Warren Central Intermediate, music teacher

Education — Bachelor’s in music, vocal performance, Belhaven College; master’s in progress, entrepreneurship, Walden University

Membership/activities — Civilian Purple Heart Award

Philosophy — Teaching requires (a) true commitment to self before commitment to students. Children deserve a commitment that creates a learning environment conducive to fundamental learning. I feel that students need a relationship with their teachers that allows them to express themselves so that their individual needs are being met.”

Tiffany Keen

School — St. Francis Xavier Elementary, third grade

Education — Bachelor’s in elementary education, Mississippi State University

Membership/activities — National Catholic Educators Association

Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is that every child can learn and, although they may learn in different ways and at different rates, it is my responsibility to ensure that they have success in my classroom. Through professional development, workshops and advice from colleagues and administrators, I have gained knowledge for applying various teaching strategies in my classroom.”

Taneshia Giselle Lucas

School — South Park Elementary, sixth-grade reading and spelling

Education — Bachelor’s in elementary education, Alcorn State University

Membership/activities — South Park Elementary PTO, United Missionary Baptist Church, former Girl Scout Troop No. 1158 troop leader, Boys and Girls Clubs of America counselor, former Dundee Elementary Promotion Committee chairman, former Dundee Elementary Program Planning Committee performance arts director, former Dundee Dolls Drill Team group adviser

Philosophy — “It is my personal philosophy for education that every child, no matter the race, creed, economic status or learning disability, can learn. It is my job as a professional educator to alter my teaching style to accommodate all learners. My lessons and daily practices are written and modeled to cater to all learning styles. In order to ensure academic excellence, I must go beyond what is expected of the typical classroom teacher.”

Stephanie Suzanne Schneider

School — Bovina Elementary, second grade

Education — Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Mississippi College; bachelor’s in education, MC

Membership/activities — International Reading Association, Teacher Student Team, American Quarter Horse Association, Relay for Life team member

Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is that all children can learn and have a love for learning. This is not to say that all children learn at the same pace or learn in the same ways. I mean that all children, given the proper love and guidance, can and will learn.”

Heather Mullins Williams

School — Sherman Avenue Elementary, second grade

Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Mississippi College; master’s in education, Alcorn State University

Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Educators, Reading is Fundamental (R.I.F.), United Way pantry fundraiser organizer, Sherman Avenue PTA, former chariman of SAE Grade Level

Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is based on three quotes from my favorite author, Dr. Seuss — from ‘Horton Hears a Who’: ‘Don’t give up! I believe in you all! A person’s a person no matter how small!’; from ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go!’: ‘You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose!’; and from ‘The Lorax’: ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot  — nothing is going to get better. It’s not!’”

Mille G. Wolfe

School — Bowmar Elementary, gifted education

Education — Bachelor’s degree in special education, Mississippi State University; gifted certification, Mississippi College

Memberships/activities — Mississippi Association for Gifted Children, Vicksburg YMCA childcare coordinator, former Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg finance chairman

Philosophy — “I believe that mutual respect and trust are essential to creating a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. I also feel that it is my responsibility to teach students ‘how to think’ instead of ‘what to think.’ I attempt to meet them where they are in their individual lives and encourage them to prepare for their futures in every possible way. I enjoy feeling that I make a difference in the lives that I influence.”