Welcome to the ACE Alumni Spotlight, where we highlight our alumni and share their stories.
Jazzmyne Townsend is an accomplished veteran educator who is an instructional coach for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). She graduated with an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and is currently enrolled in the Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction program at ACE. Her support of K-5 English language arts educators has been nationally recognized, even with an appearance on the 鈥淭ODAY.鈥� We were excited to chat with her about the great impact she鈥檚 made in her career.
ACE: Congratulations on your recent recognition as the 2025 D.C. Teacher of the Year! We also heard that you鈥檙e one of four finalists for the Council of Chief State School Officers 2025 National Teacher of the Year award. How does it feel to be selected for these honors?
Jazzmyne Townsend (JT): Being selected for these honors is exciting and overwhelming in the best way possible! I am grateful for these opportunities to shine a light on all of the great things that are happening within my school community and DCPS.
ACE: Your unique approaches to growing literacy were recently in a fun segment with Jenna Bush Hager, which included a surprise donation of 350 children鈥檚 books from Harper Collins. Tell us about this experience and how you envision using the donation to further your efforts.
JT: Being on 鈥淭翱顿础驰” was fantastic! I was so excited to share my love of literacy with the students at Stanton. To make sure that kids really enjoy reading, it鈥檚 important that they have access to texts that they are interested in and where they can see themselves represented. We look forward to hosting a few book fairs and reading challenges throughout the school year!
ACE: From honors and awards to national recognition, we are so proud of you! What are your aspirations once you finish your Ed.D.?
JT: Once my degree is finished, I look forward to doing more work at the policy level to improve the educational outcomes for every student across the nation.
ACE: What is your favorite part about working in education, and what advice would you give to an aspiring educator?
JT: What I love most about working in education is knowing that the work I do on a daily basis is shaping the future of our world. My work as an educator provides students with the skills, knowledge and competencies to become critical thinkers, creatives and change agents who are prepared to build a brighter future!
Being an 番茄视频 alumni has its perks. When you return as an alum for another program, you can save 5% off your tuition with the Alumni Continuing Education Grant.
