Tanya Voorhees
Position: Seventh and Eighth Grade Gifted Teacher
School: West Wortham Elementary + Middle School
School District: Harrison County School District
City, State: Saucier, MS
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Tanya Voorhees was nominated anonymously.
"With deep respect and genuine appreciation, I would like to nominate Mrs. Voorhees for LifeChanger of the Year. As one of her gifted students, I've had the privilege of learning from someone whose influence shaped who I am, both intellectually and personally," said the nominator.
Mrs. Voorhees knows firsthand the challenges gifted students face. Because of this, she connects with students on a deeply personal level, not just intellectually, but emotionally. One of the most defining aspects of Mrs. Voorhees's teaching is her ability to meet each student where they are. She's deeply perceptive. She recognizes her students' quirks, curiosity, intensity, and even anxiety, and she meets each need with empathy, wisdom, and unwavering support.
Mrs. Voorhees is also an advocate for gifted education, ensuring that talented students are not overlooked, misunderstood, or underserved. The impact she makes on students doesn't fade with time.
"During our senior walk, we returned to West Wortham to walk the halls in our cap and gown, and the first person we asked about was Mrs. Voorhees. Seeing her brought back so many memories, filled with stories, laughs, hugs, and even some tears. We may have grown up, but the lessons she taught us will never leave. Her classroom wasn't just about academics; it was a haven where many of us began to discover who we are truly. We didn't just become better thinkers, but better humans. Unfortunately, she cannot teach every student. Still, for those of us lucky enough to sit in her class, Mrs. Voorhees is more than a teacher. She is a LifeChanger in every sense of the word," said the nominator.
As a coworker of over 15 years, I can truly say that Mrs. Voorhees is an amazing educator and colleague whose dedication and passion for teaching are evident in everything she does. She approaches her work with compassion, always taking the time to truly understand her students and support them in meaningful ways. At the same time, she holds high expectations, challenging her students to reach their full potential and believe in their own abilities. Her balance of kindness and rigor creates a classroom environment where students feel both supported and motivated to succeed. As a teammate, she is collaborative, encouraging, and always willing to share her expertise, making her an invaluable member of our school community.
What a marvelous teacher, musician, and human being Tanya is. The world she opens to students is bright and promising. I wish every student could have a teacher like her.
In the 40+ years I've had the pleasure of her acquaintance, Ms. Richard Voorhees has always demonstrated the compassion, the heart, and the emotional courage to change the lives of those fortunate enough to know her. She's one incredible lady and is, I believe, eminently worthy of having been nominated for this award. One of the sad truths about modern education is that so many incredible teachers can teach for an entire career without official recognition of just how amazing they are. I sincerely hope that we halt this trend in its tracks by seeing this incredible teacher recognized for all she has accomplished, for all the lives she has changed for the better.
Tanya and I taught at the same school. She taught gifted (of course) and I taught elementary art. As a former gifted student in the same school district, I was intimately familiar with the struggles of our students. The beauty of being an educator who teaches an upgraded and untested curriculum is that I had the privilege of teaching whichever content I chose, and that gave me opportunities to cater the lessons to each student's needs. Tanya's influence, guidance, and insight helped me to support my students' needs. Tanya is an incredibly empathetic, intuitive, and emotionally-connected teacher who is capable of understanding her students in a way that many teachers do not, and, in my experience, she has influenced the quality of instruction and attention given to even students who were outside of the gifted program. She demonstrates an excellent example of empathy and humanity for anyone who knows her. To know her is a privilege, but to have learned from her as an educator.. well, that was life-changing.
The last time I was in Mrs. Voorhees class was in 2017 — in other words, 8 years ago. And yet, despite almost a decade later, I still fondly remember her class. The intelligent, wildly creative people in it, the eccentric and intellectually exciting material we studied, and at the helm of the ship herself, Mrs. Voorhees, compassionate, artistic, and brilliantly unique. Someone who encouraged you not to stray away from who you are, but to embrace it.
A couple of months ago, I graduated from Princeton University, summa cum laude, as a first-generation student. No accomplishment is achieved alone but is rather a culmination of the words, actions, and ideas of people before you. To that, I extend my sincere thanks to Mrs. Voorhees, whose encouragement to remain true to myself remains among the most enduring gifts a teacher has given me.
It’s a joy to see Tanya, aka Mrs. Voorhees, honored for the remarkable educator she’s become. As her former classmate, I’ve had the privilege of watching her journey unfold over the years and I continue to be inspired by the depth of her commitment, wisdom, and heart.
From a distance, I have witnessed the struggles that she, and all teachers have with low salaries and lack of funding; yet I am in awe at her ability to connect with so many to get support for her classroom and students to provide the best education and experience possible. She is and has always been a champion for her students!
Even back in our school days, she stood out for her insight, empathy, and quiet strength. It’s no surprise that she’s built a career defined by those same qualities. Her students aren’t just taught, they’re truly seen and understood. And her colleagues, community, and friends are better for knowing her.
As a parent of a gifted child, I often wished that my daughter had the opportunity to be in her classroom; alas we were states away from her.
Tanya brings grace to every challenge and brilliance to every opportunity. She’s a LifeChanger not only in title, but in truth. I’m proud to stand beside her in this nomination, and prouder still to call her a friend!
Mrs. Voorhees was my middle school gifted teacher and she has been my favorite teacher to date. She opened me up to push myself creatively and influenced the creatively person I am now as an adult. She was and still is a life changing teacher and I was so happy to have her as my teacher for 3 years while at West Wortham and I still think about her and her impact regularly.
She is the nicest person you could ever meet. She always has the students best interest put first. I can’t possibly imagine a better choice for this award. I wish everybody could spend 5 minutes talking with her and they would all agree with me!
As one of her former students I can testify that Mrs. Vorhees is the definition of a life changer. I got the opportunity to have her for three years and there were times that she was the only class I looked forward to going to because she was so understanding and taught in a way that was suited for my learning style. She is one of the only teachers I remember from middle school because of the impact she had on my life. She didn’t just treat me as a student but as a human being. I will forever be thankful for having Mrs. Vorhees.
I cannot think of a teacher or person who deserves this any more than Mrs. Voorhees. She will always be the best teacher I’ve ever had, and has supported me in any endeavor I’ve ever brought up to her, even when nobody else had or cared to. I have the absolute best memories from being in her classes, and she taught me more about myself than I think anyone else has to date. I remember us making our anthologies (a year-long assignment) and me finding it a bit silly at the time, but thinking back on it, it really gave me a chance to dig deeper into myself and learn more about my own being; you’d think you’d know yourself better than anyone, right? You’d think wrong; sometimes you need a little extra push - Mrs. Voorhees was that extra push for me and I’m eternally grateful for her. Not only was she a phenomenal teacher for me in that regard, but she also gave me a bit of a “safe space” - albeit that may not be the right way to describe it. She showed interest in things that I adore and hold highly to myself that nobody else did, that I was called weird for, that I’ve been disregarded all my life for. She made me feel less alone when it comes to that - she played more of a role in that than anyone else ever truly has, at least in my day-to-day life. To round this all out, you cannot have a better candidate on your hands. This woman works so insanely hard to keep her kids and students where they should be, she loves what she does, and every single one of us who has ever known her or had her as a teacher will tell you: she is the best.
I had just moved here from out of state. I was looking for school that I could put both my young children in. They were one and four. Being new to the area and overly cautious with the care of my children, I was adamant they would be in the same school. Then I met Mrs. Voorhees, and all my ideals went out the window. I knew in my heart she was the one to teach my older child. I did find a daycare nearby for my one-year-old.
Little did I know this would be the start of a beautiful friendship. I have never met a more kind and welcoming soul. The love, commitment and passion she gives openly to her students is beyond measure. I cannot think of a more deserving educator than Tanya Voorhees.
