- December 22, 2025
There was once a time when Nancy Parris thought her professional career would be in music.
A percussionist, she began her college career as a music major. But life, Parris said, got in the way and when she found herself needing a full-time job, her sister Debbie, who worked for Volusia County Schools, steered her toward education.
For 23 years, Parris worked as a paraprofessional.
"From there, with a lot of inspiration and motivation from friends, family and teachers, I went back to school and became a teacher several years later," said Parris, a graduate of the University of Central Florida. "I am so grateful to be a teacher, and I don’t take a single moment for granted."
She's spent the last 14 years as a teacher, now currently at Ormond Beach Middle School where she teaches sixth grade critical thinking.
And, where she was just named Teacher of the Year.
The nomination makes her feel honored. It's an opportunity to represent her colleagues — and the teaching profession as a whole.
"I am very proud to be a teacher as, in my opinion, it is the most important profession of all," Parris said. "Without teachers to educate adolescent minds there would be no other professions."
She strives to offer her students challenging real-world lessons that promote collaborative learning, designing them in a way to encourage student engagement, she said.
"I have an animated personality, so teaching gives me an opportunity to share my quirkiness with my students and create a classroom where students feel welcome and have fun learning," Parris said.
Her favorite thing about teaching is that her students love to come into her classroom every day.
"They seem very excited to be there and eager to learn," she said. "I especially love it when they walk away knowing something new that they can apply to life."
When she's not working, Parris enjoys playing pickleball, fishing, relaxing with friends and playing with her two mini dachshund girls, Charley and Jacy.
Her advice to students?
"Hard work does pay off," Parris said. "Great things can be achieved with great desire!"
