Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the last academic year. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!

Name: Torsha Lee

Division: Norfolk Public Schools

Position: Third grade teacher at Coleman Place Elementary School

What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: Torsha Lee has gone above and beyond her role as a second-year educator with Norfolk Public Schools.  Not only does she deliver instruction as expected, she is our school’s bus driver who takes two runs daily, and sometimes three if asked. When she arrives in the building from her morning run, she lets us know she’s here, that everyone arrived safely and typically says, “I gotta go, my babies are waiting for me!” 

She has built strong relationships with scholars in her room, her bus riders, and the community she serves.  When her bus rolls through the neighborhood, she’s like the community connector, speaking with parents, bringing messages back to teachers, and getting documents signed if needed. 

Lee came to us as a long-term sub, transitioned to special education paraprofessional, and now is our third grade teacher.  She had the most nominations for Teacher of the Year, however, as a probationary teacher, she was not eligible to move on. 

Lee is truly vested in our community, driving to and from Smithfield daily to be sure she is here and on time to transport our little ones. We are so grateful for her and know that she will touch your heart as she did ours.