2023 Lafayette Mom Teacher of the Year Finalists!

2023 Lafayette Mom Teacher of the Year Finalists!

We received some amazing nominees for our Lafayette Mom Teacher of the Year campaign … nominated by parents, students, colleagues, neighbors, and friends … all who have made a difference in the lives of students and who motivate and inspire those around them. Selecting the top 10 finalists from all of the nominations proved to be a very difficult task.

A team of objective judges will determine the Lafayette Mom Teacher of the Year from the 10 finalists below, and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 1st!

Top 10 Finalists

Maxine Guillory – Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy

{Nominated by Multiple Parents, Students, & Co-Workers} Maxine deserves to be teacher of the year because she’s a great person overall. I have been knowing her for over 14 years. She’s married to my oldest son. I do not have any daughters but she has been a blessing to me in ways like no other. When I had cancer recently she was there to help me along with being a full time mom, teacher, wife and college student. She’s working on her masters degree. She is very unselfish. If she could help anyone she is there. She has a heart of gold. Loosing 4 kids of her own but 2 still living she keeps going. She is a great person with a big heart. Her mother passed away in 2012 to cancer. She didn’t give up she kept going. She has maintain to get a high school diploma, associate degree, bachelors and now working on masters. She deserve this award. She has a story that needs to be told.

Kristin Rodriguez – Erath High School – Vermilion Parish

{Nominated by Multiple Parents, Students, & Co-Workers} My mom, Kristin Rodriguez, has made a huge impact on everyone around Erath High School/Erath Middle School. She had taught me in the classroom and at home. Everyone that seems to come up to me always has something positive to say about her. When i say everyone, i mean everyone ALWAYS comes up to me talking up about her. She has brought students food, clothes, hygiene items, and more things that help them out. In a small town like Erath, Louisiana there are many families that help. Kristin is ALWAYS willing to give and go through the pantry, clothes, as well as purchasing things that may benefit students. She has also provided transportation for students (with the permission of the parent) to where they need to be (extracurricular, home, to a friends, etc..). Kristin has helped kids struggling mentally making them feel safe to come to her for anything they may be going through. Nowadays you do not see many teachers that are compassionate enough to create a bond with their students. These bonds with the students help them to respect you more and trust you. I think Kristin would be more than deserving of this award. She always puts herself before anyone else.

Charity Hilton Turpeau – Acadian Middle School in LPSS

{Nominated by Multiple Parents, Students, & Co-Workers} Mrs. Turpeau deserves to win Lafayette Mom’s Teacher of the Year because she is a passionate, dedicated, and amazing teacher! She makes a genuine connection with her students. She makes learning fun and student-centered. She is also the Sponsor of the Cheerleading Team. She teaches the girls what it means to be leaders in the classroom and in their community.

Mrs. Turpeau also enjoys working with the next generation of teachers. She has spoken to college students attending ULL and Southern University. She mentors them and shares her experiences. She welcomes the chance to pour into others.

Lastly, Mrs. Turpeau works hard to unite her colleagues. She assists when she’s needed, she holds them accountable, and she celebrates their accomplishments. She views them as her family instead of her colleagues.

Bianca Anderson – Lafayette Christian Academy

{Nominated by :: Lauren Credeur, Kayla Liebert, & Alees Taylor} Mrs. Anderson takes the time to know each one of her students individually! She prays with them, motivates them, and always encourages them to be themselves! Mrs. Anderson is the teacher who will play at recess with her students… kick ball, football, basketball, etc. She is Never to busy to engage with her class! She attends her students sporting events after hours and on weekends! Mrs. Anderson is truly a gift from God!

Amanda Guidry – Youngsville Middle School, Lafayette Parish

{Nominated by Multiple Parents, Students, & Co-Workers} Amanda has always wanted to be a teacher. She started college right after high school. After the first year, she became pregnant with her long time boyfriend. She dropped out to get married and raise her children (she had the second 20 months after the first). She worked for a pre-school while taking classes at night. After moving to a new city and having a third child, after 11 years, her husband decided he didn’t want to be married anymore and left her with a new born. She eventually got remarried, he came with her bonus daughter, and had a forth child all while working in the admin position at YMS. She kept going to School through all of this. She kept at it all to have her dream job as a teacher. As the front office person, she got to know all the students and they all loved her. She chaperoned all the school dances, at the student’s request, because she danced with them! And they loved it!! The day came when she finally finished school and graduated. There was a position opening up the following school year and her principal offered it to her. She was over the moon!! And the faculty and students were excited too!! She teaches 8th grade ELA. Her students absolutely love her and respect her. She has overcome so many obstacles and life changes to be able to live her dream!! She recently had to have surgery and opted to have it over thanksgiving break so she wouldn’t have to miss school. All the students, as well as her fellow teachers, love that she now teaches. She is my daughter and I couldn’t be more proud of her. To overcome all that she has, and keep on to achieve what she has is inspiring!! She is the mother of five, teaches, brings her children to all their “stuff” (ball practice, soccer practice, gym classes, doctor’s appointments, dentist appointments, etc) as well as maintains her home, cooking dinner most nights. She so deserves to be awarded Teacher of the Year!!

Natalie Boudreaux – Academy of the Sacred Heart- Grand Coteau

{Nominated by :: Morgan Bernard & Robin Foreman} Natalie is an extremely dedicated and passionate teacher. She goes above and beyond for the middle school girls she teaches- guiding them in their unique struggles academically, spiritually, and emotionally. She even stepped in this year as a mom for a student who’s mother could not attend a mother/daughter function so the child was not alone. She does all of this while being a mom, herself, of two young children (Two and one year old). With children so young her hands are full! She deserves the award and to be recognized for her teaching and mothering abilities!

Natalie is in her element teaching English and religion to all an girls school. Middle school is very difficult to navigate for girls and she is there for all the good and bad days. She wipes tears and hugs her students knowing and remembering how hard life can be. Her expectations are high and she gives them many opportunities to succeed. She brings home the troubles and prays daily for her students. Natalie truly brings her love of books and reading to her classroom. They are very lucky to have Mrs. B!

Miranda Olivier – Paul Breaux Middle Lafayette Parish

{Nominated by :: Delvaceo Savoy, Michelle Bastian, Jacob Foster, & Alice Bastian} Every since Miranda was a little girl she loved math. It came naturally to her. Throughout the years I tried to get her to follow me into the medical field but she was very reluctant. I was proud of her when she told me she was a teacher assistant helping a variety of students in special education. I was more elated when she told me it inspired her to go back to school and become a teacher. I’m glad she followed her own path. Those students need teachers like her.

She is a hardworking teacher as well as a hardworking mom. She gives her students just as much as she gives her own kids. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to keep her students engaged and interested in the curriculum despite their environment. She takes time to get to know each of them and has gain an excellent understand of their learning needs.

Teri Davis – Youngsville Middle/ LPSS

{Nominated by :: Amanda Guidry & Allie} Teri makes every single lesson fun! She interacts with her students in a way that they remember long after they graduate high school (even though she teachers 6th grade). She is a special kind of teacher that forms the best relationships with her students. She loves them all! She really deserves this!

Ms. Davis deserves everything good coming to her. She has put everyone before her own self and made sure everyone was smiling even if she wasn’t and I’m beyond proud of her and I always will be proud of her so she deserves this award more then anyone.

Mariah Miller  – L.J. Alleman & Lafayette Parish School System

{Nominated by :: Michelle Lutgring} Mariah’s philosophy is,”I want to be the kind of teacher that I would want my own kids to have.” She lives by this day in and day out. She is at every sporting event and most school events with her three young ones in tow. She is the FIRST person to offer compassion and she always speaks with love. In the classroom, her students have no doubt that they can ask for help when it’s necessary and at home, well, she is nothing short of a superhero. She celebrates every success, big or small, creating a positive, nurturing environment wherever she is. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor. Mariah is an amazing wife, mother, colleague, teacher, and friend. I am a better person for knowing her!

Jenna Schaubert – Edward J Sam Accelerated school of Lafayette, Lafayette Parish

{Nominated by :: Jed Schaubert} My wife works at a school in Lafayette Parish that catches the kids who normally fall through the cracks. As a teen mother turned teacher her passion is helping these kids who don’t fit into the typical everyday student box. A student recently wrote her a letter that made me stop and say wow. It really shows how much an impact she makes on these kids no matter what they’re struggling with. Teenage pregnancy, mental illness, home life issues, whatever the case may be she shows up for those kids. She buys them food, jackets, etc. she goes above and beyond and I am so proud of all that she does for the kids in our community. She is graduating with her masters degree in May because she doesn’t just want to be able to help the kids in her classroom, but the kids in her entire school. She’d do anything for her students success and I think that she deserves a Pat on the back. In that letter the student said, “thank you for giving me motivation everyday. I came to school not only to finish school but to keep coming when I wanted to give up. You and your kind, positive attitude always made coming here a little easier, thank you for the courage you gave me to pursue my dreams”. If that doesn’t explain the impact she makes, I don’t know what will, but she deserves it.

The fine print :: Per the IRS guidelines, the winner will receive a Form 1099 from Lafayette Mom for tax purposes since the value of the giveaway package exceeds a value of $600.

A team of objective judges will determine the Lafayette Mom Teacher of the Year from the 10 finalists below, and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 1st!