Torri Ghrigsby named Teacher of the Year at Redwood Elementary

REDWOOD, Miss. (VDN) — Torri Ghrigsby has been named Teacher of the Year at Redwood Elementary, an honor selected through staff nominations to the school principal.

Ghrigsby is in her 25th year of teaching and her eighth year at Redwood. She said the small, close-knit environment is what she enjoys most about the school.

“The best part of teaching at Redwood is the small community family atmosphere,” Ghrigsby said. She added that taking on multiple roles inside and outside the classroom has allowed her to build relationships not only with her own students, but with students across all grade levels.

Throughout her 25-year career, Ghrigsby has taught every grade from kindergarten through eighth grade and has coached junior high basketball and cheerleading. She began her career at St. John’s Catholic School in Hot Springs, Arkansas, before returning to her hometown in 2002 to teach in the Vicksburg-Warren School District. Her experience includes teaching at Warren Central Intermediate, Beechwood Elementary, Bovina Elementary and Redwood Elementary, as well as two years teaching and coaching at Vicksburg Catholic School.

Ghrigsby is a product of the Vicksburg-Warren education system. She attended St. Aloysius High School, graduated from Warren Central High School and earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Mississippi State University.

She said relationships are the most meaningful part of her work as an educator.

“My favorite thing about teaching is the relationships it has allowed me to build and develop with my students over the years,” Ghrigsby said. She emphasized the importance of trust, noting that when students believe their teacher truly believes in them, they are more likely to work hard and strive toward their goals.

Her goal for students goes beyond academics.

“I believe part of my job is to help you be a good human being…to help you believe and grow to your full potential,” she said, adding that she wants every student to know they are loved and supported.

Ghrigsby said being chosen as Teacher of the Year by her peers is especially meaningful.

“Being selected ‘Teacher of the Year’ by my peers is a wonderful honor,” she said. “I am surrounded by amazing teachers who inspire and motivate me daily.” She credited her students as her primary motivation, calling them her “why,” and said that even after 25 years, she still truly loves teaching.

During her time at Redwood, Ghrigsby has served on numerous committees, including PBIS, Library Advocacy (AR), Lighthouse Team, and the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. She is also a co-editor of the school yearbook, the Redwood Facebook administrator, and a member of the Vicksburg-Warren District Portrait of a Graduate Team.

Ghrigsby described herself as a lifelong learner and said her students, past and present, have helped shape her as both a teacher and a person. She said they are represented on her classroom “Wall of Fame,” serving as a daily reminder of why she chose the profession.