Mississippi’s Teacher of the Year prepares for D.C. to advocate public education

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) - It was April 2022 when WDAM 7 first reported Skye Morgan, a U.S. History teacher at Petal High School, won Mississippi Teacher of the Year.

A year later, she still holds onto that title and is doing what she loves. However, once the school bell rings for dismissal Friday afternoon, Morgan will wave goodbye to her students as she prepares for her next trip to advocate public education with U.S. Congressmen on Capitol Hill.

“Teaching is a calling,” Morgan said. “I think to try and box it in and say it’s a profession is not fair to teachers. We do it because we love it. We do it for the students. Our school day does not end when school lets out.”

Petal High School principal, Tyler Watkins, agreed that it’s a passion that has gained Morgan the title of Mississippi Teacher of the Year and continues success for students who cross her path.

"We expect a lot of our students, and in turn, we expect a lot from our teachers," said Watkins. "Mrs. Morgan works really hard, and she builds great relationships with students. The students will tell you that she is super impactful to them. And you know the state is noticing what we already knew, that she was an excellent teacher. "

Morgan is now preparing to meet with members of Congress and other teachers from across the country to resume advocacy work in Washington, D.C.

“A hot topic right now is free lunch for all students, so some states have been adopting that,” Morgan said. “So that’s definitely a discussion I think will happen with certain congressmen. My personal platform is the importance of civil discourse in the classroom. I think it’s so important to have challenging conversations with one another, and when they learn how to do that with proper decorum, they go out into the world as better adults and civic-minded citizens.”

Although Moran’s reign as Mississippi Teacher of the Year will conclude in January 2024, she said she would continue to attend various advocacy and educational opportunities as she can on a national level.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.