G.V. Sonny Montgomery Chapter Teacher of the Year

June 19, 2019

G.V. Sonny Montgomery Chapter Teacher of the Year

The G.V. Sonny Montgomery Chapter of the Air Force Association in Meridian, MS, chose Southeast Lauderdale High School teacher Chloe Gressett as its 2019 outstanding teacher for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Gressett teaches biology, advanced placement biology, and zoology. (G.V. Sonny Montgomery Chapter President Langford Knight and Teacher of the Year Chloe Gressett pictured left.)

Gressett learned an exemplary work ethic, devotion to duty, precision and high expectations from her family. Her father served many years in the military, including several years in the 186th Wing of the Air National Guard in Meridian and the 172nd Wing in Jackson, MS.

In her first year at Southeast, student proficiency on the state Biology I test already showed marked improvement. Her students say her hands-on laboratory exercises are fun and encourage them to want to learn more. For example, Gressett integrates technology in classroom computer labs that allow students to study different species through virtual dissection.

Gressett sponsors a school-wide exercise in March called “March Mammal Madness” in which students research mammals to see how adaptive characteristics make them contenders for “most outstanding mammal” and the competition is posted on a bracket developed by a team of scientists. Teachers, staff, and students follow the results on Twitter and on the large bracket outside Gressett’s classroom.

Making science fun is one of the keys to her success in the classroom and why she was selected as AFA’s G.V. Sonny Montgomery Chapter’s Teacher of the Year.

by Cheryl Owens cowens@themeridianstar.com