Part of an ongoing series featuring the teachers nominated for Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Teacher of the Year honors.

Chesley Lambiotte has been able to incorporate two of her favorite loves in life – teaching and dancing.

Lambiotte, the St. Aloysius High School nominee for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Secondary Teacher of the Year, is the Fine Arts Department Chair and an honors English teacher.

A dance major at the University of Georgia, Lambiotte was encouraged by a professor to student teach a few classes at a performing arts high school.

“I fell in love with teaching when I realized how I could make a difference in my students’ lives by blending arts education into their curriculum,” Lambiotte, in her fourth year at St. Al, said.  “Helping others find greatness in themselves is my ultimate passion.”

The director and coach of the four-time state champion Flashette dance team said she truly enjoys watching her students find themselves through the arts.

“Watching a student evolve from reserved and withdrawn to confident and self-assured is a beautiful process to witness,” Lambiotte said. “It’s all about tapping into the gifts that God has given each of them and then watching them flourish.”

Lambiotte was totally shocked when recognized by her peers at St. Al.

“As a graduate and proud supporter of St. Aloysius High School, I was mostly honored to have been nominated by the school that has given me so much already,” Lambiotte said. 

The Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce will choose one elementary and one secondary teacher of the year at the chamber luncheon Feb. 20. The winner of each award will receive $1,000 from Ameristar Casino and the runner-up for each award will receive $500 from Mutual Credit Union.

If selected as the top educator, Lambiotte said she would do her best to promote arts education, “not only at our school, but throughout the community.”

“Creating a shared vision with other teachers and students in our district would be such a wonderful way to collaborate and promote the talented students in our community,” Lambiotte said.