The Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation (MEEF) named Vanessa Ellis, a teacher at Veterans Memorial Middle School, the 2022 MCSD Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 1,000 teachers and community leaders on Thursday at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. The announcement was the culmination of the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation’s Teacher of the Year program for the Muscogee County School District.

The Selection Committee was impressed with Vanessa’s connection with her students and her commitment to helping make them vital members of their community. Selection Committee member, Carl Brown was awe-struck with the raptattention and discussion in Vanessa’s classroom. “The kids were actively involved in learning how legislative bills become laws. The students were engaged as Vanessa led them through the complex process. They weren’t just listening to a lecture, they were actively participating in their own learning.”

Ellis was chosen from 52 Teacher of the Year (TOTY) Honorees representing each school in the Muscogee County School District. In her eleven years as an educator Vanessa has learned some important lessons. “As a teacher, my students are my ultimate source of joy. I live for those moments when my students start taking responsibility for their own learning – I’ll always be their teacher – but it’s a great moment when you see students begin to fall in love with learning.”

Ellis notes that her continued professional development, being a life-long learner, is one of the keys to her success in the classroom. “I think students see me continuing to learn and they make that connection to my classroom. I’ve been fortunate to connect with great teachers and institutions over the years and one of those is being able to attend Harvard.” Ellis was a MEEF 2018 Harvard Fellow where she says, “That experience fundamentally transformed my teaching. I discovered the importance of reflection, teaching for understanding and thinking routines that make critical thinking habitual. It was one of the impactful professional developments I’ve ever attend and I’m forever thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that made me a better teacher.”

2019-2020 Teacher of the Year Dacia Sheffield served on the TOTY Selection Committee and observed that Ellis was a “...teacher’s teacher. She advocates for her students and for her colleagues. She encourages people to go into teaching; she inspires her students to consider teaching; and she serves as a mentor for student teachers. Her passion for her profession is palpable and I’m glad she supports all of us in the teaching profession.”

Each of the school TOTY Honorees are recognized and honored throughout the year in a variety of ways. In March, all the TOTYs were honored at an MCSD-sponsored breakfast with the MCSD TOTY and the national TOTY. At the Gala every TOTY received a framed certificate of recognition and a $100 honorarium. The Top Ten honorees also received a framed certificate of recognition and $500 honorarium. The Top Three received a $1000 honorarium and the MCSD Teacher of the Year is featured on a OUTFRONT Media digital billboard, a full-page Ledger ad, and received a $5000 honorarium.

MEEF Chairman, Scott Allen noted that this year the sponsors were extremely supportive, “We are especially grateful to our generous supporters who enable MEEF to reward and recognize exceptional teachers including Aflac, W.C. Bradley Company, Kinetic Credit Union, Synovus, TSYS, Brasfield & Gorrie, Janet Davis, Hall Booth Smith, P.C., Hecht Burdeshaw Architects, Piedmont Columbus Regional, Representative Richard H. Smith, The Honorable Judy W. Thomas, Virtucom, Webb Construction, 2WR, Burger King, CENTEGIX, Columbus State University, Columbus Water Works, Complete Tire and Service, Durham Sears Real Estate, FabArts, Hughston Clinic, Key 2 Wall Street, Lexia Learning, Localloop, Muscogee Retired Educators Association, OUTFRONT Media, Art Smith, Spud Bowen & Associates, and Bart Steed”

MEEF is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering educational excellence by recognizing and rewarding innovative and exceptionally effective teachers in the Muscogee County School District. The Foundation has awarded over $2.9 million to teachers in MCSD, through financial incentives in the TOTY program, the MEEF Grant program, the MEEF Endowment Fund, the STEM T3 program and the Harvard Fellows program.