Oprah Winfrey said, “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.” I believe in a strong work ethic and the right for every child to receive a high quality education. For the past sixteen years, I have worked as a champion of education: teaching high school English, promoting the love of reading and literacy, and leading students to excellence in terms of obtaining scholarships and other educational opportunities.

Growing up in a very rural, poverty-stricken area of South Carolina with few resources or career options for its residents, I knew that after high school graduation, I would be going to college in the fall of 1991. I knew that I wanted to become an educational leader; however, I vehemently vowed not to return to this area. After being awarded a full scholarship and becoming a Chancellors Scholar at Fayetteville State University, I graduated in 1995. As fate would have it, my former high school principal made it plain to me when he was imploring me to consider coming back home to teach. He said, “Angela, in education, if you are not a part of the change process, oftentimes, you become a part of the problem. We need you home. We need you to make a difference.” After rethinking my former vow, I made the best decision of my life. I returned to my high school alma mater as an English teacher and department chairperson. I have never forgotten his words, and I have devoted my educational career to educating and opening doors for students who live in the rural, poverty-stricken areas of the county.

I have worked tirelessly to assist students as their teacher and mentor. As a student council and senior class advisor, I was given the opportunity to plan and implement student leadership opportunities and expose students to cultural and historical places. Because I taught in a 7th-12th grade junior/senior high school, I was in a unique situation. I was able to teach 7th-12th grade English/Language Arts, Journalism, Advanced Placement English courses, SAT, Yearbook, and Gifted Education. Additionally, I have worked as a Teacher Cadet instructor, giving qualified high school students the opportunity to learn about general education practices to promote their aspirations of becoming teachers. I was voted Teacher of the Year by students and co-workers three different school terms which ultimately led to my becoming the Williamsburg County School District Teacher of the Year.

I obtained an advanced degree from Coastal Carolina University. I have completed coursework in literacy education from both the University of South Carolina and Converse College to further my experience as a literacy coach, and I have completed other coursework to build my capacity as an educational leader. I know that my passion for continually broadening and honing my skills has aided in my ability to successfully assist students and coach teachers to become better practitioners of teaching. Also, I have been a National Board Certified Teacher for nine years. This past school year, I served as the English/Language Arts Specialist for my school district: co-teaching with teachers, assisting teachers with implementing best practices of teaching reading and writing, overseeing the district’s curriculum development process, and implementing a district-wide writing program that inspired noticeable gains in writing across grade levels on the state’s writing assessments.

To gain in professional knowledge and experience, I have researched best practices of reading and using data to make informed teaching decisions. I used this research to present various workshops to include presentations at the International Reading Association convention, the South Carolina Formative Assessment Conference, and Francis Marion University’s Center of Excellence to Prepare Teachers of Children of Poverty.

I am passionate about equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become problem solvers and leaders in their respective fields. As a U. S. Department of Education Teacher Ambassador Fellow, my desire is to collaborate with others to gain more experience from a national policy-making perspective in order to further the goals of public education.