2001 North Carolina Teacher of the Year
Ms. Bilbro-Berry is a teacher at Tayloe Elementary in Washington, North Carolina. She has been teaching for nine years and teaches at-risk grade two students in all subject areas.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"Good teachers help children become what they're meant to be by fostering innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement within each student."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"I constantly strive to get students actively involved with learning and challenge them to think in ways they have never thought."

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"My greatest teaching accomplishment has been being recognized as North Carolina's Teacher of the Year."

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
"Recruiting and retaining high quality educators. If current teachers would each recruit one person per year to enter teaching, we would solve this problem."

Inspirational thought:
"Remember to focus on what matters most – learning, nurturing, laughter and CHILDREN!"