A Twinsburg High School English teacher was recently named one of four finalists for the title of Ohio Teacher of the Year.
Daneé Pinckney was named Regional State Board District 10 Teacher of the Year.
According to Twinsburg City Schools, Pinckney began her teaching career in Columbus after earning her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Middle Childhood Education from Ohio State University. Pinckney also earned a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology from Ashland University.
Pinckney, who lives in Stow, said she was at a friend’s house when she heard the news. The finalists were announced during a Zoom call.
“They just announced the four names, and mine was the last one,” Pinckney said. “I just had a little heart attack. When I found out about the other teachers, I looked at their bios and was overwhelmed. There were so many phenomenal teachers.”
Superintendent Kathryn Powers said Pinckney is always looking for new ways to challenge itself.
“She developed a course for high school students on African American literature that met the need for representation among both students and community members,” Powers said. “She received funding to support its implementation, and her efforts have enriched the educational experiences of all students and staff. Using literature as an anchor, Ms. Pinckney works to encourage students to participate in community service and activist projects, instilling in them a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement.”
Pinckney said the Twinsburg School District has a significant black population, particularly from the Twinsburg Heights community in Twinsburg Township.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 19% of the district’s students are black.
“After some research, we realized that our curriculum was not representative of our population,” Pinckney said. “It was predominantly male and white.”
The African American literature class began as an elective, Pinckney said. It became a 12th-grade English elective the second year it was offered and has grown in importance since then.
Powers said Pinckney’s students most recently worked with students in Ghana, leading a school-wide project to promote global community and empathy.
Pinckney said she wants to continue working to give students the opportunity to take advantage of global opportunities.
“That’s one thing that students have responded to me about,” she said. Pinckney said she wants to take on more leadership roles in the future and help retain and recruit teachers, especially in expanding diversity.
Previous awards Pinckney has received include her recognition as a Master Teacher Finalist by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, as well as being named the 2023 Twinsburg City Schools Teacher of the Year and the 2023 Fund for Teachers Fellow.
“We are proud of Ms. Pinckney and wish her the best as she continues to participate in the State Board of Education’s Teacher of the Year recognition program,” Powers said.
Pinckney said that in addition to her work as a teacher, she enjoys traveling. Last year she visited Ghana, Togo and Benin. This summer she traveled to the Galapagos Islands with her mother, who is also a teacher.
The 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year will be announced at the beginning of the school year, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
Selected teachers go through two levels of recognition: State Board District Teacher of the Year for regional recognition and Ohio Teacher of the Year for state-level recognition.
Reporter April Helms can be reached at [email protected]
