Danielle Whittington, fourth-grade ELA teacher at Columbia Elementary School, was selected as a member of the Teach Plus Mississippi 2022-23 Policy Fellowship Cohort. The 25 fellows were chosen based on their strong commitment to the classroom and to equity, their ability to articulate and willingness to fight for the needs of their students and their pursuit of excellence and innovation in their teaching.
Whittington said she was invited on multiple occasions to apply for the Teach Plus program after she wrote a Facebook post advocating for a student with dyslexia. She said the post made some people uncomfortable but gained national attention for her honesty and advocacy.
"I am an advocate by nature. I was an occupational therapist first and have an urgency to speak out for those who can't speak for themselves," Whittington said.
The application process was lengthy, and Whittington wanted to investigate the group to be sure it was something that would benefit where she is at and not just another committee to look good on her resume. The process included an application with lots of writing, a one-on-one personal interview and a blind interview on Zoom with a group where they were given a problem and had a time limit to find solutions together.
The fellows are spread out across Mississippi, but Whittington points out the needs are the same no matter the district. As a group, the fellows focus on licensure and prep programs, recruitment and retention, social-emotional learning and teacher mentorship. The group will meet every month as a whole and as small groups in between. They are kept aware of what is going on as far as webinars and policies. Fellows serve for a year with the option to continue on as a senior fellow and assist new fellows.
Throughout the fellowship, they are trained in policy, advocacy, research and communication. They develop the necessary skills to advocate for needed changes for students in Mississippi.
"This is a great opportunity in learning there are tactful ways of doing things. A large group of diverse people, by coming to the table together, find common ground to benefit everyone. It gives us a voice from the trenches, enabling us to be the change for the needs we see and live daily," Whittington said.
Whittington is from Picayune and is married to Jordan Whittington of Columbia. They have two sons. Whittington has worked for seven years at CES. She also taught at Prentiss High School, and she taught inclusive dance classes at Mississippi State University. She still keeps her OT certification current.
