Lufkin’s Missi Perkins Is Proving That Belief Can Change Everything
When Missi Perkins was in second grade, she was separated from her identical twin sister and moved to a different school campus in Des Moines, Iowa. She needed more intensive help with learning disabilities that had made school a daily struggle. It was a hard road—years of tutoring, extra hours after school, and the quiet fear that she simply could not keep up.
Today, Perkins teaches second grade at Lead Academy in Lufkin, Texas—and she is currently ranked No. 1 in her group in the national America’s Favorite Teacher competition. The contest, which features educators from across the country, offers a $25,000 grand prize, a trip to Hawaii, and a feature in Reader’s Digest. Voting for the Top 10 closes Thursday, April 9.
For Perkins, the honor is not about the prizes. It is about proof—proof that a child who once could not see potential in herself can grow into the kind of teacher who helps other children see it in themselves.
“I struggled through school, but would not change my experience for anything. It’s proven that you truly can learn, grow, and be what you have been called to be when you have others pushing you and believing in you.”
A LONG ROAD TO THE CLASSROOM
Perkins’ path to teaching was anything but traditional. After high school, she enrolled at TCJC in Grapevine, Texas, attended for a year and a half, and then stepped away with no plans to return. It was her husband, Stacy, who changed the trajectory. One day he picked her up at home around lunchtime. She assumed they were headed to lunch.
“I was wrong,” Perkins said with a laugh. “He took me to Tyler Junior College and said, ‘I don’t care how long it takes you to get a degree, but I will help you all the way.’ He did help me, and I’m eternally grateful for him. It took me ten years to get my degree.”
She earned her education degree from the University of Texas at Tyler, certified for Early Childhood through sixth grade. She always knew she wanted to work with younger students—to be for them what her best teachers had been for her.
Two educators in particular left a lasting mark. Her Algebra I teacher, Mr. Plemons, and her fifth-grade literature teacher, Mr. Andres, made accommodations so she could succeed. More importantly, they valued her, believed in her, and saw potential in her when she could not see it in herself.
A CALLING THAT COULD NOT BE IGNORED
Before the classroom, Perkins was working at a local tea room. Then came the moment that changed everything.
“As clear as day, I heard God say, ‘This is not what I have called you to do,’” she recalled. “I knew exactly what it was I was called to do. I just had to be obedient.”
The process of testing and certification was a challenge, particularly given her own learning history. But she pushed through—and receiving those certifications remains one of the proudest moments of her life.
FROM FIRST-YEAR TEARS TO TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Perkins’ first teaching job came without a gentle onboarding. She was hired as a kindergarten teacher at Central Elementary in Lufkin on a Wednesday, had the weekend to set up her classroom, and started on Monday.
“Not to mention, I had no idea what I was doing,” she said. “I literally think I cried every day. The only way I made it through was with the Lord, a wonderful husband who was with me all the way, Dawn Bailey—the lead kindergarten teacher at the time—and four great kiddos.”
She spent nine years at Central Elementary, teaching two years in kindergarten and seven in second grade. In 2016, after just four years in the profession, she was named Teacher of the Year for the district.
“It was one of the greatest days of my life. I literally still cry when I think about it,” Perkins said. “To come from where I started to receiving that honor meant the world to me. Just proof that God can use anybody when they are willing to be obedient to the calling God has given them.”
A NEW CHAPTER AT LEAD ACADEMY
Today Perkins teaches second grade at Lead Academy, a Christian university-style academy in Lufkin that emphasizes small class sizes and faith-based education. Her classroom typically has eight to twelve students, compared to the nineteen to twenty-three she managed in the public school system.
“A smaller class size makes such a difference,” she said. “I’m able to more quickly identify areas that a student is struggling in and provide the help they need.”
Her daily schedule runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and covers reading, grammar, the Institute for Excellence in Writing program, math, science, and STEM. Core subjects come first thing in the morning, and hands-on learning is woven throughout the day.
Each morning at Lead Academy, Perkins starts with four things: students fill each other’s buckets by giving and receiving compliments, a Bible story, prayer requests and prayer, and pledges to the American flag and the Bible.
“My greatest desire is that these kids grow spiritually and know Jesus a little bit better by being in my classroom each day,” she said.
THE PERKINS PHILOSOPHY: LOVE FIRST, TEACH ALWAYS
Ask Perkins about her teaching philosophy and the answer comes without hesitation. She wants every child who walks into her room to feel like they are at home—to know they are loved like her own children, that mistakes are safe to make, and that she believes in them even when they cannot believe in themselves.
“A child cannot learn effectively if they first don’t have a trust in you,” she explained. “When they know you love them and you care about them, they want to please you and do well. We must praise them continually. When you’re excited about their progress, they get excited about their progress.”
For students who struggle quietly, Perkins has a simple approach: you notice them. You point out their progress in front of the class. You offer high fives and hugs. You make sure they know it is safe to tell you how they are feeling.
“I don’t ever want to hear a student say that Mrs. Perkins was so mean and that they did not like my class,” she said. “I work too hard as a teacher to hear that. I want to hear from my students that Mrs. Perkins was my favorite teacher.”
Parents at Lead Academy have taken notice. One family shared that their son’s reading fluency and comprehension improved dramatically between first and second grade, crediting Mrs. Perkins for making reading fun. They called her a blessing to every student she has taught, their families, and the schools she has served in.
AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEACHER
Perkins discovered the America’s Favorite Teacher competition on Facebook. When she mentioned it to one of her current parents, the response was immediate: you must enter. So she did.
The response from family, friends, and coworkers has been strong, and Perkins works at getting the word out every day. One of her student’s parents has been especially active, voluntarily encouraging others to vote. As of press time, Perkins is ranked first in her group.
As for the $25,000 prize, Perkins initially said she would use it toward playground equipment at Lead Academy. If the prize can be used personally, she plans to put it toward new windows for her family’s home. Either way, the real prize for her goes deeper.
“I can’t imagine what a blessing it would be,” she said. “I have always wanted to go to Hawaii, and I do love the Reader’s Digest. But for me, it’s just the acknowledgment of receiving it, considering the struggles I had growing up. That’s the best gift.”
FAMILY, FAITH, AND A FEW BIG FISH
Perkins and her husband Stacy have been married for 36 years. They have four children and seven grandchildren. The move to Lead Academy was partly motivated by a desire to slow down and spend more time with those grandchildren.
Outside the classroom, Perkins enjoys fishing, camping, and traveling with her family. Her students get to see the evidence—she loves showing them pictures of big fish she has caught and photos from family vacations, especially anything involving nature.
A MESSAGE FOR EVERY STRUGGLING STUDENT
Before every test, Perkins leads her students in a chant that has become a classroom tradition:
“Mrs. Perkins believes in me, I believe in me, God believes in me! I’ve got this!”
If she could speak to any young person struggling in school right now, she said, she would share her own story. She would tell them they absolutely can do it. And she would remind them of a truth she has lived out every step of the way: when you have people who believe in you, anything is possible.
As for the competition, Perkins has one final message for East Texas:
“This is an American competition. Let’s get Lufkin, Texas noticed!”
VOTE FOR MISSI PERKINS
americasfavteacher.org/2026/missi-perkins
Voting for the Top 10 closes Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM PDT
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