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Melinda Defee has been selected at the Piggly Wiggly Teacher of the Month.

Defee is an 8th grade math teacher at Pike County High School. She began her teaching career in 1995 and began teaching at PCHS a year later, in 1996.

“I found my home at Pike County High School,” Defee said. “I really enjoy teaching math. I enjoy it when kids are able to figure out things in different ways. I don’t want to teach kids to mimic or copy ways of doing things. I want them to find their own way to do things. When they learn how to do something their own way, and they’re really confident in it, they’ll show others how they do things. It’s good for kids to learn there’s more than one way to do things.”

Defee said during her career, she had taught math at just about every grade level in middle school and high school. She said a few years ago, she was teaching math in high school and was asked to start a middle school math program at PCHS.

“I think it was the best move I ever made,” she said. “I love it. I just felt like I was called to do it. I wouldn’t change anything about that decision.”

In addition to teaching math, Defee said she is a Bulldog fan through and through. She said she supports all of PCHS’s sports and academic programs and feels like the school one big family.

“The thing I like about PCHS, is that we are like one big family,” she said. “The faculty all gets along and I feel like they’re part of my family. Pike County High School just has so much to offer. I’m proud of our school and our kids.”