June 2006
Agricultural Educator Lee J. James, of the Choctaw County Career and Technical Center, has been named the Mississippi Teacher of the Year. James’s passion exhibited in the classroom, profession, and his community has fueled his career.
“You can’t describe this. Thirty-five graduated in my class. To go from that, to where I am today is a God-given opportunity,” said James who remains humble about his accomplishments. James has been actively involved in agricultural education for 29 years and has worked as an Agricultural Power and Machinery Instructor for the Choctaw County Career and Technical Center since 2000.
The selection process for the coveted Mississippi Teacher of the Year Award began early this spring as each school district nominated one teacher. These outstanding educators then progressed on to the state level where four were chosen to proceed on to the interview portion of the process, representing each of the four congressional districts in Mississippi.
During the interview process, the four selected teachers were questioned about their ideas involving education, about dealing with different learning styles and students, the definition of the whole child and his views regarding the Mississippi Department of Education.
Going into the interview, James was confident and saw this as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of agriculture in the classroom. “Eighty percent of the jobs in Mississippi are related to agriculture,” emphasized James.
The final announcement was made at the 2006 Mississippi Department of Education Mega Conference held on June 6 in Jackson. The Mega Conference hosts over 4,500 teachers, administrators, business leaders, legislators, Department of Education personnel and others each year.
When the announcement came, James was among family, friends, and colleagues. “I was just floored; I was very happy to have my family with me. It was just a whirlwind,” explained James. “This all goes back to my ninth grade year in high school when I had an ag teacher that impacted me so much that I knew this was what I wanted to do.”
As the 2006 Mississippi Teacher of the Year, James has received a stipend that will be accompanied by a multitude of opportunities to help further the development of the Mississippi educational system. For instance, James will lead workshops at the Mississippi Teacher Revitalization Conference, attend the National Teacher of the Year Conference in Dallas, and have the opportunity to meet President Bush and first lady Laura Bush next spring. James will also be serving as the 2006-07 President of the National Association of Agricultural Educators, further empowering him to share his passion for the profession with others.
To read more on Lee James, visit the Clarion Ledger.
