WESTCHASE — Melissa DeGusipe set up her first chalkboard in first grade, teaching math facts to neighborhood kids in Cape Coral.

Thirty-three years later, she’s still at it — and now she’s a finalist for Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year.

“I was genuinely stunned,” said DeGusipe, who has taught at Davidsen Middle School for 15 years. “I never imagined I would make it that far, especially knowing how many incredible, hardworking educators we have in our county.”

DeGusipe is competing against four other teachers: Francesa Doran, a third-grade teacher at Westchase Elementary; Tracy Moore, a math teacher at Ben Hill Middle; Christi Atkinson, a marine science teacher at Wharton High; and Rochelle Phillips, a kindergarten teacher at Kenly Elementary. The winner will be announced Jan. 22 at the Excellence in Education Awards at the Straz Center.

As Davidsen’s math subject area leader, DeGusipe coordinates professional learning communities and coaches the school’s Math League. A Florida State University graduate certified in middle grades mathematics with endorsements in gifted education and ESOL, she was named Davidsen’s Teacher of the Year in 2022.

Last year, 100 percent of her algebra and geometry students passed their end-of-course exams.

“My favorite thing about being a teacher is getting to be part of my students’ journeys,” DeGusipe said. “I love the moments when a student finally ‘gets it,’ when we celebrate their accomplishments, or when they start thinking like problem solvers on their own.”

That one-on-one approach stems from her own experience as a high school student struggling with math teachers who made the subject feel “confusing and disconnected.”

“Math had always come naturally to me,” she said. “That experience convinced me how important it is for students to understand the why behind the what.”

If chosen as Teacher of the Year, DeGusipe said the recognition would validate her daily efforts.

“It would mean that the passion, care and effort I put into my students every day is truly making a difference,” she said. “Most importantly, it would remind me why I became a teacher — to help students grow, believe in themselves and reach their full potential.”