Fred Fifer Middle School Teacher Chosen as 

DreamWakers 2021 Educator of the Year  

Social Studies Department Head Breanna Holtz Recognized

Breanna Holtz an 8^th grade Social Studies teacher and department head at Fred Fifer III Middle School has recently been recognized by the DreamWakers (www.dreamwakers.org) organization as their 2021 Educator of the Year.  Believing students can't be what they can't see, DreamWakers works to close the opportunity gap for students in under-resourced schools by providing them with the unique opportunity to meet career role models from diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives beyond their local community.

Through interactive virtual sessions using video-chat tools, DreamWakers connects educators and professionals in a wide array of industries with 4th to 12^th grade classrooms nationwide. To generate the greatest results to their programing, DreamWakers prioritizes schools in which at least 50% of the student body is eligible for free and reduced lunch. By providing positive exposure to role models and careers, these efforts bring classroom lessons to life, inspiring the next generation of leaders to envision and prepare for their own future.  Over 30,000 students in 44 states have been impacted by the program since 2014. 

In announcing her selection DreamWakers stated that Ms. Holtz’s contributions stood out among the community of 600 educators. In the 2020-21 school year, Breanna facilitated eight flash-chats with her students, exposing them to dynamic, relatable professionals from The Wall Street Journal, Twitter, the University of Pennsylvania Department of History, accounting company Deloitte, and others. She ensured that her students are exceptionally prepared to meaningfully engage in the virtual career conversations, going above and beyond to provide an impactful experience for her students. In 2020, Ms. Holtz was part of the DreamWakers Educator Fellowship Program, which led her to promote the outreach mission in the Caesar Rodney community, provide feedback on educator resources, and actively participate in broader interactive campaigns, including on social media.

The Caesar Rodney School District is honored to have Breanna Holtz recognized for her service in the pursuit of, and the support of her students future career success. The 2021 DreamWakers award will be formally presented at the “Looking Back, Dreaming Forward” virtual celebration on October 6 at 8:00pm ET.