Lakisha Mosley has worked in education for 21 years and currently teaches music at South Park Elementary.

Mosley is a finalist for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the Year award. One elementary and one secondary teacher of the year will be announced at the Chamber Luncheon in February. The winner of each award will receive $1,000 from Ameristar Casino and the runners-up for each award will receive $500 from Mutual Credit Union.    

Mosley earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Tougaloo College and a master’s degree in elementary education from Mississippi College. 

She said she feels teaching is one of the most important, and satisfying, careers in the world.

“I started teaching with a two-year-old son,” Mosley said. “When I became a mother, I knew that being a mother was one of the most rewarding gifts in this world. Two years later, I had the next best gift in the world and I have yet to take either position lightly. As a teacher, I have taught kids from all walks of life. Each lesson that I have taught, I have made it relevant to the real world.”

Mosley said, no matter what subject she is teaching, she has always stressed to her students the importance of fundamentals.

“I have always mentioned how (the standard) would be beneficial in life,” she said. “My hook would always be, ‘Who wants to drive?’ when teaching students how to read. I would always tell my students, in order to be a driver, you must have a license; in order to have a license, you must be able to read; therefore, reading is required.”

Mosley also said it is important for teachers to use all the tools at their disposal.

“I have always led a data-driven classroom,” she said. “(A) student struggled with reading and comprehension. When I received his data, I studied it and had a one-on-one conference with him. I showed him the data and explained it to him in a kid-friendly way. Fortunately, he became one of my best students.”

And no matter what subject she is teaching, Mosley said music always seems to find its way into her classrooms, sometimes in moving ways.

“I have always taught general education, yet I have always sung the majority of my lessons,” she said. “My former coworkers would jokingly say they were going to start singing to increase scores. (In) August of 2022, the Lord showed me my season was up at my former school and district. I applied for a music position here in the district and it has been the best decision ever. I was welcomed to the district and immediately felt love from my home school and district personnel.”

And why does Mosley do it all?

“It is my calling,” she said.