CAMDEN — Breanna Holtz, an eighth grade social studies teacher and department head at Fred Fifer III Middle School, was recently recognized by the DreamWakers organization as its 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 underresourced 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 videochat tools, DreamWakers connects educators and professionals in a wide array of industries with fourth to 12th grade classrooms nationwide. To generate the greatest results to their programming, DreamWakers prioritizes schools in which at least 50% of the student body is eligible for free and reduced lunches. 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.

More than 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, she 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 were exceptionally prepared to meaningfully engage in the virtual career conversations, going above and beyond to provide an impactful experience.

In 2020, Ms. Holtz was part of the DreamWakers Fellowship Program, which led her to promote the outreach mission in the Caesar Rodney School District community, provide feedback on educator resources and actively participate in broader interactive campaigns, including on social media.

The 2021 DreamWakers award was formally presented at the “Looking Back, Dreaming Forward” virtual celebration last week.