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

Tamyia Ross believes her love of children is the reason she became an educator.

“I became an educator because I was called by God and I love children,” Ross said.

Ross, a nominee for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, has been a first- and third-grade teacher at Warrenton Elementary School for the last three years.

She has been teaching for 10 years — four years at Agape Montessori Christian Academy and for three years as a science teacher in Riverdale, Georgia.

“The thing I enjoy most about teaching is working with students, especially when their light bulb goes off when they have gained a concept that I’ve been teaching,” Ross said.

Ross was surprised when she learned she had been chosen Teacher of the Year by her peers at Warrenton.

“I have only been at Warrenton for three years and I count it an honor by my colleagues,” Ross 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.

Ross said she would be overjoyed if chosen the overall Teacher of the Year.

“I know that I would cry, but I haven’t thought about what I would do if I became Teacher of the Year for the district,” Ross said.