Vicki Bosarge has been a music teacher for over three decades.
She currently teaches piano, guitar and choir at Resurrection Catholic Middle/High School (RCS) in Pascagoula where she’s been for the past five years. Prior to RCS, she taught at East Central High School for five years, George County Middle School for seven years, and with the Pascagoula School District for 17 years.
Her preference for teaching extends to the high school level.
“I prefer teaching high school students so I can perform higher caliber music,” Bosarge said.
Bosarge is the only educator in her family, but she comes from a musical family, so it was the only option she considered when deciding to pursue a career in education.
“I have always loved music and have found it came very easy to me. My entire family is musically talented and it was just an easy choice as I grew into teaching others to sing and play instruments.”
She received a Bachelor of Music Education with vocal and instrumental degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Bosarge wanted to be a teacher to give others the opportunity to learn music and to have joy in their lives as she does. She enjoys watching a student who has never played an instrument before grow into their musical talent.
“It is truly amazing to watch students fall in love with music and have a connection that only musicians can have with music.”
What she finds challenging is keeping students away from technology.
“It is so much a part of their lives, and they are missing out on things that can be beneficial to their minds.”
Bosarge finds inspiration in the saying, “You are only as strong as your weakest link.”
To her it means working hard on the things you can’t do well. It isn’t always enjoyable, but it’s always necessary to increase knowledge and technique abilities.
Last year she was involved in the creation of the song “His Story.”
Sean Gasaway of the Mississippi Songwriters Association was working with students from the Lighthouse School of Dyslexia (Lighthouse) in Ocean Springs. They began the song there and Gasaway asked Bosarge if RCS had time to develop the verses and finish the song. Bosarge developed the harmony structures and prepared the soloists, who were students from RCS. Once completed, students from Lighthouse and RCS came together and recorded the song at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church.
The song had a big impact on Bosarge.
“I love the third chorus of the song as it speaks about the power of God’s resurrection, ‘When he arose, it shook the world into confession.”
“His Story” was released by The Mississippi Songwriters, Inc. record label on May 2, 2025. It is available on all music platforms worldwide and all the proceeds go directly to both schools through the distribution platform.
Throughout her life, her father, Charles Stone, has been her mentor.
“He had the best values and always taught me to work hard at anything and everything that I ever touched. He supported me and always pushed me to do better in life.”
That pride includes her accomplishments as a result of her long career.
In 2019, she was chosen for the Seven Seals Award, the highest recognition that a civilian can receive from the military. While at East Central High School, she worked extensively to include the military into their school program. The Seven Seals Award is the broadest and most inclusive award given by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and is presented at the discretion of the state chair or by the ESGR senior leadership. The award is presented in recognition of a significant individual or organizational achievement, initiative or support that promotes and advances the ESGR mission to include the efforts of the more than 3,000 volunteers who carry out ESGR’s mission across the nation on a daily basis.
Additionally, she has also been Concerto State champion on Flute, 2025 RCS Teacher of the Year, and was nominated for Band Director of the Year.
While retirement is not yet in her plans, she does plan to return to the public school system to develop an award-winning program.
When not working, Bosarge performs in a rock band, Coastal Collective, as vocalist and keyboard player. They perform along the Gulf Coast. She is also a flute player in the Coastal Winds Ensemble, a group composed of professional educators and musicians, out of Gulfport. They perform once a semester.
Bosarge is married to her husband of 28 years, Roe, and has two sons, Dustin Steen and Morgan Steen. She has five grandchildren and one on the way.
