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

Teetee Braxton has known since she was a child that teaching was going to be her career choice in life.

“I knew at an early age that I wanted to be a teacher,” Braxton said. “I knew I wanted to make learning fun and exciting like my dad, Mr. Douglas Anderson, and my favorite teacher Ms. Nosser. Teaching is my passion. I am a teacher at heart; there is nothing I would rather do than teach. I became a teacher to empower future leaders.  I became a teacher to make a difference in the lives of as many students as I can.”

She’s been making a difference for the past 16 years now.

Braxton, a nominee for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, is a fifth-grade ELA, math and science teacher at Warren Central Intermediate School.

A graduate of Vicksburg High School and Alcorn State University, Braxton enjoys the challenges and rewards in educating children.

“Seeing my students grow academically and socially,” Braxton said, is her biggest job in teaching. “I enjoy being a part of the learning process, and helping students understand that with knowledge comes power.”

One way Braxton connects with students is through music.

“I love music and singing and noticed my students remember words to songs so easily,” Braxton said. “So I decided years ago to teach steps to working out math problems to music.”

Braxton and the students rap or sing ways to work out math problems, which apparently has been beneficial to students. Not long ago, Braxton was greeted by a former student in the mall who related how one of the songs helped her on the ACT.

“I was shocked,” Braxton said. “I almost cried. Who would’ve thought the song I taught her in fourth-grade would help her in the 12th grade on her ACT?”

Being chosen Teacher of the Year at WCI by her peers is both an honor and humbling, according to Braxton, who taught in the Hinds County, Greenville, Sunflower County and Jackson school districts before becoming a teacher at Vicksburg Intermediate in 2008. She’s been at WCI since 2015.

“I am truly blessed to be among so many awesome educators,” Braxton 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.

Whether she is chosen as the chamber Teacher of the Year or not, Braxton said she will “continue to inspire, love, teach, care and promote learning.”