Danielle Twitty was recognized as the 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year at Lyles Middle School -A.C.E. (Accelerating Campus Excellence) Campus in Garland ISD and the Golden Apple Educator of the Year by Garland Area Alliance of Black School Educators. With finishing up her 7th year in education, she understands the hard work and heart work that goes into making sure every student she serves has an equitable opportunity to succeed. Being recognized for her heart work, Danielle was named a finalist for the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators Teacher of the Year in 2020 and named the 2018 Educator of the Year by Garland NAACP. Danielle earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Texas A & M University - Commerce and is presently working on her Masters in Education Administration. Currently teaching Algebra I Pre-AP and Math 7 Pre-AP on an A.C.E. Campus, the importance of social emotional learning embedded into her instruction is at the forefront of student achievement and the relationships built both in the classroom and throughout the campus and district. As a result of her classroom culture, her students discovered their inner math confidence and trusting the process of making mistakes to aid in their academic growth and push them to excel to be lifelong learners. With “keeping it real” and tying math into real world scenarios it enhanced critical conversations in her class. These conversations led to organic student dialogue on mental health which prompted Danielle to apply for and obtain a position as a Fellow with the Texas Education Policy Institute for the 2020-2022 cohort. This role has provided her with the foundational skills necessary to understand policy and advocacy, which led her to testify in front of the Texas House of Representatives regarding mental health services for public school students. Danielle currently resides in Garland, TX and is the mother of Destini, a Senior Nursing student at Prairie View A & M University and Dalyn, a member of the Texas National Guard and a freshman in college. She is a co-founder of Prime Blueprint Coaching and Consulting where the mission is to promote a global impact on education, the academic and emotional achievement of students, and the teachers that serve them.