NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — In 2024, Ms. Lauren Grant was honored as the Norfolk Public Schools top middle school teacher of the year. 

She currently teaches at Norview Middle School and is a proud department chair. She teaches 8th grade English, making sure students reach their full potential. 

Ms. Grant said in her role as a department chair, she’s been able to learn so much. Her roll as department chair is a coaching position to help more teachers become better versions of themselves.

Grants’ education career started in the pandemic, and she said she was able to learn so much by coming out of the pandemic.

Ms. Grant also makes a daily effort to help students reach for the stars.

“I make sure that my kids go home with the knowledge that they are limitless, and when they come into my classroom, they feel limitless and they know that they can do whatever it is that they want to do every single day,” said Grant. 

Ms. Grant is honored to be named an excellent educator. Ms. Grant said you have to be forgiving as an educator to help students come out on top. She says students make mistakes, but she’s going to continue to show up for them.

“I think that what it takes is hunger for excellence, to be honest, not only just for yourself, but for the kids. I think it takes, a forgiving spirit and a forgiving heart. they’re going to be days where you’re going to want to pull your hair out. and then the next day you have to come in and just be like, nothing happened with these kids need constant just forgiveness. And people that give them a second and a third and a 500th chance every day,” Grant said. 

Ms. Grant encourages parents to continue reading and fostering a love of reading and literature at home.