East Beauregard High School sixth grade English language arts teacher Stormie Messer didn’t always want to be an educator. She found her passion after becoming a mother.

When Messer’s oldest daughter was 2 to 3 years old, she would beg Messer to teach her.

“She used to say those words, ‘Teach me something, Mommy,’ ” she recalled.  “I knew I wanted to be a part of their education in one way or another.”

She taught all three of her children the basics of reading before they entered school, but it wasn’t until after she taught Vacation Bible School that she finally knew that’s what she wanted for a career.

“I knew I wanted to impact more than just my own children’s lives.”

She was born in Kinder and raised in Sugartown. As a student, she was a high-achiever. She noted the “lasting impact” most of her teachers had on her. While they didn’t initially inspire her to become an educator, the kindness of her past teachers inform her methodology.

“But, the teachers that I remember the most, who cared the most, they inspired me to be the teacher that I am today. One who cares about the students and wants to impact them for years to come.”

She graduated from East Beauregard High School in 2008. Two years later, she graduated from McNeese State University with an Associate of Science in computer information technology. Ten year later, she furthered her education and earned her Bachelor’s of Science in information technology from Grand Canyon University.

Her new dream of teaching was solidified when she started to substitute while she was in the iTeach program — an alternatiave route to earn a teaching certificate.

She started her career as an aid at the Beauregard Alternative Program before becoming a full-time teacher at East Beauregard. When substitute position opened up for a sixth-grade ELA and literature teacher at East Beauregard, she jumped at the opportunity.

“She moved into the agriculture position at East Beauregard. I truly enjoyed it, and put my name in for the position as soon as I heard it was available.”

This is her fourth year as a teacher.

Her technology credentials don’t go to waste. She helps out the technician at her campus, placing orders when necessary. She’s also volunteers to help with the middle school side of the Future Business Leaders of America when she has the time.

Middle school is a pivotal time for developing students, and Messer gets to help them “grow in both knowledge and maturity” by building meaningful relationships with them and learning each student’s distinct personality.

Her ultimate goal as a teacher is to be a lighthouse for her students.

“I want to be there for them to look to when it comes to figuring out how to navigate life as an adolescent, teaching them to be caring and responsible young adults.”

To leave her students more equipped for life than they were before they started middle school, she fosters independence and confidence in them.

“As an educator, I want them to feel empowered in their own learning and in the decision-making process of their own education while still addressing their abilities and interests.”

She builds this confidence by teaching students ways to interact and collaborate with peers, and empathy by showing sincere concern for students, their lives and their families. She has witnessed first-hand how effective this is, she said, because her students’ attitudes towards their education shift from apathetic to impassioned during the school year.

Community is at the heart of her teaching philosophy. Messer believes building community connectivity is most important in the long-run. A healthy future community can be secured by supporting the youth, she explained. This can be as simple as attending a student’s game or event.

“They feel supported and their families also feel how much the educators care when they just show up for them like that,” she said. “I have made it to many of my students’ basketball, football, softball and baseball games, as well as some rodeo events. It meant the world to both the students and their families!”

Even more so, Messer has learned that leading with empathy, patience and positivity in and out of the classroom creates incredible impacts.

“Although rules and structure are absolutely needed and highly important, do not underestimate the power of building strong relationships with your students and their families. … Hear your students out when they have concerns and show them that you care. When you care about them personally, they will not want to disappoint you.”