"I graduated from Hattiesburg High School in 1978, Go TIGERS!! I am a 1982 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. degree in Home Economics Education. I have teaching certifications in Health, Family and Consumer Science, and CTE Culinary Arts. I'm also a licensed instructor for the National Servsafe Manager Course and Exam. My love for cooking, entertaining, and hospitality began right here at HHS through the influence that my high school Home Economics teacher, Mrs. Billie Williams, along with my mom, Joyce Tadlock, were in my life.
I have taught in Biloxi, MS, Monroe, LA, Charlotte, N.C., Columbia, MS, and presently in my position as the Culinary Arts Instructor for the Career and Tech Program at my alma mater, Hattiesburg HIgh School, in Hattiesburg, MS.
I taught for 8 years from 1983-1991, leaving the profession in 1991, to stay home to raise my 3 children. I returned for the '2nd half' of my career in 2011 when my children started leaving the nest for college. It's been such a blessing to be back in the classroom again, working with teenagers, in a field that I love. In the years that I stayed at home, I was constantly entertaining, cooking, baking, and started a home-based cheese straw business, 'Toni's Cheese Straws', using my sweet Momma's recipe that beckons back to 1963.
The highlight of each day for me is interacting with the teenagers that are in my classes. I love teaching them about life lessons, hospitality and social skills, and always throw in healthy ways of dealing with stress and difficulties that they will encounter in their lives. The amazing thing is, I have learned so much more from the incredible young people I teach, much more than they have probably learned from me!
The highlights of my career in the past 10 years have been receiving the honor from several senior classes of Columbia High School of being selected as one of the 'most influential teachers'. I also received the honor of being selected as the 'most influential teacher' by 3 different senior baseball players at CHS and was presented at Senior Night by those players. This past year, perhaps the ultimate designation for any teacher, was being selected as
'2021 Star Teacher' by our Star Student at Hattiesburg High School, Rachel Johnson. The star student is chosen based on their grades, ACT score, and activities. They are able to choose any teacher from kindergarten to 12th grade who made the greatest impact in their life. Rachel and I were blessed to travel to Jackson where we were honored among the other Star Students and Teachers in Mississippi."
-Toni Floyd