Michelle Leblanc wasn’t always a teacher, but her passion for reading and engaging students at a young age has transformed her students’ language skills and ignited a lifelong love for reading.

On Thursday Michelle LeBlanc was named Philpott Motors Teacher of the Month. Her fifth grade classroom cheered for her as she received her prize. Leblanc has been teaching for over 12 years now and is praised by her peers for her support and positive influence.

LeBlanc started off working at a teachers credit union before she discovered her passion for teaching. “I would always decorate the credit union and make it look nice”. She was eventually asked, “ Have you ever thought about being a teacher?” 

The Port Neches Intermediate reading language arts teacher started teaching Kindergarten and 1st graders before moving on to become a reading coach in Beaumont before moving to Intermediate where she is now. 

Leblanc went on to pursue her masters in Teacher Leadership to help her not only in her career but in the classroom. She was eventually offered a position in Port Neches Intermediate where she took the opportunity to advance her career.    

“I don’t think I could ever go back to the [earlier grades], because I love this grade, kids are old enough that they know what’s going on but they are still young enough that they’re still kids and they like all the fun stuff,” she said.

LeBlanc strives to connect with students by staying relevant and finding what they’re interested in. She will crack jokes and use lingo that kids use such as “skibbity” and “Ohio rizz” to engage the students to keep the fun going.

“I love all of it. I think the connection that I get to make with the kids and the relationship that I get to build, that’s the most rewarding for me.” she said.

LeBlanc’s love for teaching comes from her own inspirations “ I always had a passion for kids that struggle with reading because that was such an outlet for me,” she said. “ I want them to have that [outlet], they can go pull a book and have an escape and go to a new world”  

LeBlanc was awarded $500 and entered into the Teacher of the Year award running in December with a prize of $1,000. 

“I don’t think I could ever go back to doing anything else because it brings me a lot of joy and the kids a lot of joy,” she said.