The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce has named nominees for the 2009 Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year.

The winners will be announced at noon Tuesday during the chamber’s annual membership luncheon. The speaker will be Blake Wilson, president of the Mississippi Economic Council. The Teacher of the Year program was started in 1990. Nominees are selected by their peers. Winners are named by four retired educators who screen the nominees’ applications and conduct interviews.

This year, there are 17 nominees:

Kimberly Bolls

• School — Warren Central Intermediate, teacher

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

• Membership/activities — Adviser for National Elementary Honor Society

• Philosophy — “I strongly feel that all children need to feel valued before any learning occurs. When a child knows that you care about their success and well-being they become more open to learning. Once a teacher develops that relationship with children the possibilities of learning and teaching one another are endless.”

Deborah Ederington

• School — Sherman Avenue Elementary, pre-kindergarten

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in psychology, University of Southern Mississippi; master’s in family/consumer sciences, USM

• Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Educators, 2005 Who’s Who Among American Teachers, former Relay for Life co-chairman, former fundraising co-chairman for American Heart Association, Kappa Omicron NU

• Philosophy — “I have developed a philosophy that children deserve to experience success, and the opportunity begins as early as at birth. It is every experience that a child encounters or is provided that shapes and inspires them to become successful, lifelong learners. I think of myself as a part of a strong base from which the rest of experiences help to create a successful, productive adult.”

Caroline Gatling

• School — St. Francis Xavier Elementary, elementary music teacher

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in music education, Delta State University; master’s in music education, Mississippi College

• Membership/activities — Mississippi Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference

• Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is that music should be in the life of every child from the very beginning, and all children should experience music through singing, playing and movement. Because of my belief that music is so important in the life of a child, I value musical arts and believe that exposure to all types of music is fundamental to the healthy development of our children’s minds and spirits.”

Pearlie W. Goodman

• School — Vicksburg High, student services coordinator

• Education — Bachelor’s degree, Alcorn State University; master’s, ASU

• Membership/activities — Mississippi Association of Special Needs Personnel, Mississippi and National Association of Career and Technical Educators

• Philosophy — “Finding the difference that works has always been my position. Students of yesterday, today and tomorrow all have one thing in common — which is to be successful. Thinking outside the box and using innovative ideas will get their attention and keep them coming back for more. Most of all, I’ve learned that caring will inspire students to do more.”

Linda W. Hanks

• School — Dana Road Elementary, pre-kindergarten

• Education — Associate degree in elementary education, Hinds Community College; bachelor’s in elementary education, Mississippi College; master’s in elementary education, MC

• Membership/activities — Former Redwood PTO secretary and treasurer, Redwood United Methodist Church choir leader and Sunday school teacher, former RUMC Kid’s Klub leader

• Philosophy — “It is very important that a teacher realizes the importance and worth of each student as an individual with different capabilities, interests and needs. A very important element is, of course, developing a child educationally. However, since the educational development of a child is contingent upon his/her total development (educational, emotional, psychological, social, moral and spiritual), these areas must be addressed and nurtured by a teacher as well.”

Dara Hendrix

• School — Beechwood Elementary, kindergarten

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Delta State University; master’s in reading, Alcorn State University

• Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Educators, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Lake Forest Homeowners Association treasurer, Bowmar Baptist Church children’s ministry teacher

• Philosophy — “I view every day as a learning process where not only teachers educate students, but students educate teachers as well. I do firmly believe that the primary role of a teacher is to educate students, but before any real learning can occur the teacher must first develop a relationship with the student as well as with the parents.”

Erika Denese Purnell January

• School — Vicksburg Junior High, eighth-grade math

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in biology, Alcorn State University; master’s in hazardous materials, Jackson State University; master’s in educational leadership, Mississippi College

• Membership/activities —  Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Mississippi and National Association of Educators, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, former mentor for Vicksburg Boys & Girls Club, tutor/mentor for Hinds Educational Talent Search, tutor/mentor for YMCAA GED program, former tutor/mentor Boys & Girls Club Mississippi/Louisiana

• Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is centered around, but not limited to, progressivism. Progressivists believe that individuality, progress and change are fundamental to one’s education. A teacher that sets high expectations produces excellent students.”

Alice Jones

• School — Vicksburg Intermediate, fifth grade

• Education — Associate degree in liberal arts, East Central Junior College; bachelor’s in elementary education, Delta State University

• Membership/activities — Mississippi Professional Educators

• Philosophy — “I believe that all children want to learn whether they readily admit it or not. I value the importance of a quality education and try to ensure that each child that walks into my classroom has the opportunity to obtain that education.”

Leslie Mobley

• School — Redwood Elementary, sixth grade

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, Henderson State University; master’s in counselor education, HSU

• Membership/activities — Redwood PTO

• Philosophy — “The basic underlying principle of my teaching is: ‘Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ I want students in my classroom to know that I am interested in each student as an individual and not just as a test score.”

Vickie S. Norman

• School — Grove Street Elementary, first grade

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in education, Alcorn State University; master’s in education administration, ASU

• Philosophy — “Every child is a rare jewel. Some are polished, some rough, but a jewel no less. Some know their value, while others have no idea how valuable they are. It is my job as an educator to take these children and provide them with the tools needed to become a productive citizen within our society.”

Jo Ann M. Reeves

• School — South Park Elementary, teacher

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in sociology, Dillard University; master’s in elementary education, State University of New York

• Philosophy — “All students can learn, all students need a positive self-image, a caring nurturing, and stimulating environment in which to grow and take risk. It is my passion to instill a sense of ‘yes I can’ in my students.”

Amy Pugh Robinson

• School — Warren Central Junior High, seventh-grade social studies

• Education — Associate degree in education, Hinds Community College; bachelor’s in elementary education, Mississippi State University

• Membership/activities — Phi Theta Kappa Educational Honor Society, Mississippi Association of Educators

• Philosophy — “My goal as an educator is to help instill a love of learning in my students as I help them reach their individual potential. Lessons must be presented in a manner that stimulates student interest and helps them see the relationship between the curriculum and the world they live in.”

Dani Kay Dottley Thomas

• School — St. Aloysius High School, English and enrichment

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in secondary education/English, University of Mississippi

• Membership/activities — National Catholic Education Association, National Association of Junior Auxiliaries, Ole Miss Alumni Association, former Vicksburg and State of Mississippi Chi-Omega Alumni Association president

• Philosophy — “My motto, ‘Strive for excellence in everything you do,’ is also my philosophy. I stress this to my students every day, and as a teacher I live by the same standard. I firmly believe that if I expect and accept nothing less than my students’ best efforts, then a day is never wasted in my classroom.”

Jennifer Warren Tillotson

• School — Bovina Elementary, music

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in music education, Mississippi State University; master’s in music education, MSU

• Membership/activities — MENC/Mississippi Music Educators Association, American Choral Directors Association, former Mississippi Music Educators Association state secretary, Delta Kappa Chi, Mississippi Music Teachers Association (piano), Vicksburg Piano Teachers Association

• Philosophy — “‘Bless the Children’, a song I wrote nine years ago for the (Vicksburg Warren School District) opening convocation, is my philosophy. It says that you and I (as educators) have the opportunity every day to bless these children by teaching them. These children will learn, listen and live to make a difference as they grow.”

Frances Warren

• School — Porters Chapel Academy, math teacher and assistant headmaster

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Mississippi State University; master’s in civil engineering, MSU

• Membership/activities — Make a Promise Coalition

• Philosophy — “I believe that you set your standards where you want them to be and that you have the expectation that all your students can rise and meet your standards. You do not compromise with your students to lower your standards. My students in my classroom know what I expect from them, and the majority of them rise to the occasion.”

Katherine Wilkerson

• School — Warrenton Elementary, lead teacher

• Education — Associate degree in general studies, Hinds Community College; bachelor’s in elementary education, Mississippi College

• Membership/activities — American Federation of Teachers member and ex-treasurer

• Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching is centered on student learning. As educators, we must recognize that each student is a unique individual who desires our utmost attention. In addition, these students should be recognized and respected in all that they strive for and accomplish.”

Amy M. Wilkes

• School — Bowmar Avenue Elementary, teacher

• Education — Bachelor’s degree in middle-grades education, Oglethorpe University

• Membership/activities — Coordinator of Bowmar Elementary Safety Committee, co-coordinator of Bowmar Elementary Science Fair, teacher/youth leader at First Baptist, Bowmar Elementary Relay for Life Committee, former member of Bowmar Professional Development Committee

• Philosophy — “My philosophy of teaching centers around the belief that each student is an amazing individual with a unique set of skills, interests, experiences, strengths, weaknesses, personalities and endless possibilities. It is my desire to inspire and educate each child, meeting the needs of the current student without losing sight of who they will become.”

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Contact Everett Bexley at ebexley@vicksburgpost.com