Michelle Fisackerly said she’s always worked with children, and she couldn’t imagine doing anything else, but there’s one moment in particular she looks forward to.

“There’s never been a day that I thought to myself ‘this isn’t what I want to do,’” she said. “When you see a kid in the classroom have an ‘aha!’ moment, that’s why you keep doing it.”

Whether it’s putting two and two together from a movie or remembering something about a war from a video game, Fisackerly said that’s the best part about being a teacher.

For the past eight years, Vicksburg High School alumna Fisackerly has been teaching world history at Vicksburg High School, but this coming year she said she thinks she may be making the switch to government.

“Growing up in Vicksburg you always have a love for history,” she said. “I actually have a master’s degree in history and I’ve studied abroad in eight different countries as part of that program.”

Fisackerly said after teaching world history for eight years it’s time for a change.

“I love world history,” she said. “I just want a chance to broaden my teaching experience.”

Fisackerly said she loves teaching history.

“I’m not sure if the students enjoy it as much as I do, but they do enjoy certain aspects of it,” she said. “Especially if it’s closer to now, and that’s what a lot of government will be. They can associate that a lot better than the American Revolution.”

During the summers, Fisackerly works at the YMCA.

“I’ve been here on and off since I was 15 years old, so it’s been almost 20 years,” she said.

Fisackerly said she started working at the YMCA as a counselor in training, but since then she has been a front desk worker, basketball scorekeeper, subbed as a lifeguard and helped with biddy ball and tee ball. Fisackerly has served as an afternoon director at the Purks YMCA day camps for the past eight years.

“People say I’m crazy to go from teaching all year then to come here, but it’s different,” she said. “I’m going from working with teenagers to working with young kids, and it’s a whole different ball game.”

Fisackerly said the change of pace helps keep her from getting burnt out.

“I enjoy it,” she said. “There’s all different characters here. You’ve got 84 kids from four year olds to 12 year olds. You don’t get bored.”