The Presidential Award means that I am succeeding in my goal of being a teacher who is effective in the classroom and influential within the greater teaching community. I strive everyday to challenge my students to find the joy and beauty of mathematics, and I also seek to support and grow other teachers in their own work.

Torri Martin Louisville, KY | 7-12, Mathematics, 2019

The official biography below was current at the time of the award.

Torri Martin has been an educator for the past seven years. She is in her third year teaching eighth grade mathematics at the J. Graham Brown School for Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS). Previously, she taught for three years at Westport Middle School and one year at Stuart Middle School. As the school’s 3–12 Department Chair, Torri serves as a teacher leader at her school and at the district level and is responsible for helping implement the district’s vision and mission. Creating a joyful mathematics class has always been Torri’s goal. Bringing her love of gaming into the classroom has been instrumental in creating an environment where students willingly engage with rigorous mathematics. Her students eagerly await the next big event, from massive school wide breakouts to a life-sized battleship! Being an educator means helping other teachers craft their practices. Torri serves on the board for the Greater Louisville Council for the Teachers of Mathematics; was a cohort member of JCPS Voice--a district program of virtual professional development-- and is a member of JCPS Forward, a group that connects teachers across the district and promotes professional opportunities for them. Torri has presented sessions on how to engage students in the classroom using digital tools and was recently published in Kentucky Teacher. She also recently completed a year long action research program with a statewide cohort from the classroom-teachers-enacting-positive-solutions activity. Torri earned her B.A. from the University of Virginia, M.A. from the University of Kentucky, M.A.T. from the University of Louisville, and a certification in K–12 gifted education from Western Kentucky University. She is a certified 5–9 mathematics teacher and is a National Board Certified teacher.

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