Before going to law school, Denea Bruce (Dowman) deferred enrollment for a year to work with New York City public school students through Americorps. Shocked by how ill-prepared her high school students were for college, she decided to forgo her intended career, and applied to the DC Teaching Fellows. Now in her 10th year in D.C. Public Schools, Ms. Bruce is confident she made the right decision. Having worn a variety of hats—as a library media specialist, first grade teacher, and now computer teacher—Ms. Bruce has embraced every challenge in order to create powerful learning experiences for her students.

Ms. Bruce holds her students to high expectations. She emphasizes her daily mantra, “It is not about being the best, it is about doing your best.” Ms. Bruce also uses creative strategies to engage her students—incorporating drama, inventing catchy songs, and planning challenging games to reinforce key concepts. Her former students can still be heard singing their “Capital Letters Song” on the playground during recess. Ms. Bruce’s results speak for themselves: 100 percent of her students last year exceeded their goals for reading and comprehension, and their average growth was six proficiency levels. Ms. Bruce is also grateful for the support of the Stoddert community. “I love my students for their honesty, their unconditional love, and their trust,” Ms. Bruce explains. “We have a blast!”