Brandy Taylor has been teaching for 19 years. But it wasn't until she came to Atlanta Middle School three years ago that she felt she had found her place.

“I've been at multiple schools, and I've never felt like I belonged where I was,” Taylor said. “This is the first time I feel like this isn't just a role I filled. This is who I am.”

Taylor, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade math, has been named Brookshire's Teacher of the Season. It's the first recognition of its kind in her career, making the honor especially meaningful after nearly two decades in the classroom. 

“I've always admired all these amazing teachers in the movies, and I've always wanted to be like them,” Taylor said. “I've never been Teacher of the Year or Teacher of the Month or anything, so this is almost like a dream come true. I've always strived to be the best me I could possibly be for the students, so it's really exciting.”

For Taylor, that effort shows up in the everyday moments of teaching. She shares a joke with her students each day and enjoys the conversations and personalities that come with working with middle schoolers, as well as the moments when she gets to see the results of her work.

“I love the interaction with the students, being able to joke with them,” she said. “I also enjoy being able to see those light bulb moments, and when the students come back and say, ‘I did great this year because of what you did last year.’”

Taylor's commitment to teaching goes back long before she entered her first classroom. 

“Teaching for me is not just a job; it is a calling,” she said. “I knew from first grade that teaching was where I was supposed to be. It's been an amazing journey, working my way through school by myself, not having any support system at home, and I never gave up on my dream.”

Originally from the Dallas area, Taylor moved to Jefferson to teach at a private school. She later stepped away from the classroom to homeschool her children. When she decided to return, her faith played a central role in that decision. 

“There was a definite God moment where He's like, ‘It's time for you to get back in the mission field. The school is your mission field. Now go back,’” Taylor said. “And God called me here, and He has made it completely evident. I've never been happier in my 19 years of teaching.” 

Her arrival at Atlanta Middle School brought a sense of connection that Taylor says had been missing from her previous experiences. The friendships she's developed with coworkers and administrators have become an important part of her life at AMS.

“Since I've been here, it has felt like a second home for me,” she said. “Being here in Atlanta, the friendships that I have made with my coworkers, with the administration staff, it really is that sense of belonging. Like I've actually found my place, and it just makes me definitely want to stay and to grow here. It's something different that I've never experienced before.”

For Taylor, the recognition from Brookshire's comes at a point in her career when she's looking forward to continuing the work she loves, alongside people who have made Atlanta feel like home.

“I've always loved the kids that I've worked with. I've always loved the subject,” Taylor said. “I can't imagine doing anything different than teaching because that's what I've been called to do.”