Delishia Scott is a teacher at Warrenton Elementary who believes goals can be achieved when you begin with the end in mind.

“This is Habit 2 of the Leader In Me initiative adopted by the district several years ago,” Scott said. “Habit 2 can be used in all aspects of your life from school to your future job. I tell my students that they should walk through the door of the classroom with a 100/A on their minds. If they listen, participate and give their all the result will be amazing.”

Scott is a finalist for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the Year award. The Chamber will select and announce one elementary and one secondary teacher of the year at the Chamber Luncheon on Feb. 21 at noon.  The winner of each award will receive $1,000 and the runner-up for each award will receive $500.

Scott started teaching in 2018 as an assistant teacher at Warrenton Elementary. After earning her Masters in Elementary Education, she took her first teaching position at South Park Elementary.

When asked how she ensures her students are connected to the world, she answers by bolstering a positive work environment.

“I strive to build a classroom where students feel comfortable to ask questions not only of myself but of their peers,” Scott said. “Group discussions as well as tapping into others’ prior knowledge through interactive learning ensures my students are well-rounded in the world around them.”

Scott uses a grouping strategy to improve student achievement.

“I put students together from different levels of academic learning. I call it the student-friendly strategy,” Scott said. “Students tend to learn better from other students, and my lower students strive harder to attain the same success as others in their group.”

Scott said her most moving educational moment was watching her kindergarten students grow as a first-year teacher.

“I questioned myself at the first of the year after I saw how far they needed to go, but by the end of the year I had readers and I was so proud of them,” she said. “I knew that this was the job for me.”