‘Teacher of the Month’ traded in engineering for education

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It takes a special kind of person to face challenges with a smile—especially when working with students on the brink of their teenage years.

Latasha Howard-Mott, a seventh-grade math teacher at Williston Middle School, was surprised with WWAY’s Teacher of the Month award for her dedication and patience in the classroom.

Howard-Mott has been teaching at Williston for the past 12 years, but her path to education wasn’t traditional. She initially pursued a career in engineering before discovering her passion for teaching.

“Once I got out of engineering, I started substitute teaching, and I felt that I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I just saw the smiles on the students’ faces when they accomplished something, and I felt like I was giving back.”

Howard-Mott said her background in engineering helps her make math more relatable for her students.

“It helps a lot because I can bring what I learned in the industry and tell them how to use math and how it’s being used in the everyday world,” she explained. “They’re like, ‘Ms. Howard, how am I going to use this? I’m never going to use this,’ and I say, ‘Well, this is how you use it.’”

Williston Principal Jo McDonnell said Howard-Mott’s commitment to her students has not gone unnoticed.

Latasha Howard-Mott is presented with a $400 prize, thanks for Beach Bagels and Subs, and Fulford Heating and Cooling.
(Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY)

“She was recognized last year as Williston’s Teacher of the Year, recognized by her colleagues, and then she was also recognized by the district as the Middle School Teacher of the Year,” McDonnell said.

Now, Howard-Mott has yet another title to add to that list— Teacher of the Month.

As part of the Teacher of the Month recognition, Howard-Mott received a $400 prize, courtesy of Fulford Heating and Cooling and Beach Bagels and Subs.

You can nominate a deserving teacher here.