‘The Greatest Job In The World!’

Longtime CAC Teacher Vickie Tankersley Reflects On Her Incredible Career

by CAC Communications Office

Teaching is a demanding profession. Time “off” is often spent grading or planning lessons. You need to keep a careful balance of effective and fun. You spend time counseling and comforting students AND parents. It’s a job in which the day-to-day hard work of helping develop children into tomorrow’s leaders can go unnoticed or unrecognized. But for the best of teachers, it is a mission before it’s a job. No one goes into the profession to accrue material riches. But the rewards are still rich: the opportunity to shine a light in the world, to spark the flame of wisdom in a child, and to help illumine the life-altering way of Jesus.

This month, Vickie Tankersley, first-grade teacher at the PV campus, will serve her last weeks as a full-time teacher. It is a transition that is not easy for Mrs. Tankersley (or her CAC familiy), as she has spent 28 years teaching, including 25 at CAC. Over the course of her career, Mrs. Tankersley has been a constant source of joy and light for her students. She always wears a smile, whether she is reading to her students, tending to a “boo-boo,” helping children with their math or singing her beautiful alto during chapel or worship at PV church of Christ.

We had the opportunity ask Mrs. Tankersley some questions to reflect on her incredible career. Her answers are enlightening and provide a lesson in joy and gratitude to all people of faith.

Q: Did you know you wanted to be a teacher when you were young?
Mrs. Tankersley: In my small congregation in southern Mississippi, I taught Bible classes a lot. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and was passionate about doing something that could make a difference in someone’s life.  

Q: What has been your favorite part of teaching and why?
Mrs. Tankersley: My absolute favorite part of teaching is/will always be the relationships you form with the students and their families! You are connected in Christ and there’s a bond that’s formed when you are entrusted with each child and you are able to watch them learn, grow, and develop into something beautiful! 

Q: What have you most enjoyed about teaching at CAC?
Mrs. Tankersley: The BEST part of being at CAC is having a family in Jesus! There are a lot of us who have been at CAC for almost all/or all of our careers and we have worked, shared our lives, cried, laughed, cheered, sharpened, and loved each other through life’s joys and hardships.  

Q: How has your career created meaning in your life?
Mrs. Tankersley: Teaching, in my opinion, is the greatest job in the world! It does come with an enormous responsibility, but has the greatest rewards!  To know you have such an important purpose each day, to help students develop and thrive, to help them know how much they matter and are so loved, is motivation to get up and GO!

Q: How has God blessed your career and your faith?
Mrs. Tankerlsey: God is so, so good! HE has done more than I’ve ever asked or imagined in my life! HE has blessed me with three beautiful daughters, all of whom grew up at CAC!  God has so richly blessed our family by the relationships we’ve developed and my faith has been made stronger by surrounding myself with other mission-filled people! To see others remain faithful through hardships and victories while praising God through both the storms of life, as well as the mountaintops, has strengthened me!   

Q: What are some moment from your time at CAC that stand out?
Mrs. Tankersley: I have a treasure of memories that I could write a book about! Winning a state football championship under Coach Perry, going to Space Camp with 6th graders, going to Heifer Ranch and H.U.T. with 6th graders, teaching my three daughters and watching them in all of their activities, and coming back to love on my Firsties!

Q: What hopes do you have for the children that you have taught?
Mrs. Tankersley: My hopes for all of my students is that they love the Lord and follow HIS word and base their lives on Jesus! I would also pray that each of them work hard at whatever they do! 

Q: What are your immediate plans in retirement?
Mrs. Tankersley: I look forward to substituting when I can at PV, spending more time with my grandchildren/children, being open to where God leads me to serve next, and spending time with friends!  

We are so blessed to have enjoyed Mrs. Tankersley as such an important part of our mission at CAC. On behalf of all the faculty/staff at CAC and all of the many children she has taught, we wish her boundless joy in her retirement!