Veteran JPS educator Erica Taylor-Joyner surprised with Alyce Clarke Award
JANS – Erica Taylor-Joyner, a veteran educator, mentor teacher, and proud JPS alumna, received the Alyce Clarke Award during a surprise presentation at McLeod Elementary November 19, 2025.
The moment she opened her classroom door, Taylor-Joyner stopped in disbelief. The media was there; her family and friends were there, and all 51 of her fifth-grade scholars filled the room. She was speechless and moved to tears, calling her scholars, “her reasons why.”
The Alyce Clarke Award, presented by 16 WAPT, honors exceptional educators across the viewing area. Monthly recipients are chosen from public nominations, and the award recognizes those who make a powerful impact in their schools and communities. It is named for Alyce G. Clarke, a trailblazing Mississippi lawmaker, former teacher, and the first Black woman elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives.
Taylor-Joyner brings that same spirit of service to her work. She is a Jackson native and lifelong JPS scholar who attended Bradley Elementary, Northwest Middle School, and Provine High School before earning her education degrees from Jackson State University and Mississippi College. She began teaching in 2007 at Oak Forest Elementary, spent 13 years at Bates Elementary, and is now in her third year at McLeod Elementary teaching fifth grade ELA.
Teaching is her calling. She creates a classroom grounded in warmth, consistency, and a family feel. As McLeod’s mentor teacher, she supports new educators, shares best practices, and helps build a strong culture of collaboration.
Her achievements include Best of Mississippi Teacher of the Year in 2023 and McLeod Teacher of the Year. Still, this recognition feels special. “I am truly honored and humbled to receive the Alyce Clarke Award,” she said. “My commitment to education is unwavering. I am grateful to live out my purpose in Jackson Public Schools.”
Taylor-Joyner hopes her scholars always remember the love, stability, and encouragement found in her classroom. “I want them to say, because of you I did not give up.”
