Philadelphia School Board Member Named Urban Educator of the Year
Joyce Wilkerson, a member of the school board of the School District of Philadelphia, was recognized as the 2025 Urban Educator of the Year at the Council of the Great City Schools' 69th Annual Fall Conference in Philadelphia.
Four school board members from big-city school districts competed for the nation’s highest honor in urban education leadership, presented annually, in alternate years, to either an outstanding school superintendent or school board member from 81 of the largest urban public-school systems in the country.
Urban school leaders applauded Wilkerson during the Council’s Excellence in Urban Education Awards Ceremony, where she received the prestigious leadership award.
Sponsored by the Council and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, the top prize is presented in memory of Richard R. Green, the first African American chancellor of the New York City school system, and businessman Edward Garner, who served on the Denver school board.
Wilkerson is the longest-serving member of the Philadelphia school board, having begun her tenure in 2016 when she was appointed chair of the state-controlled School Reform Commission. In this position, she played a key role in helping the School District of Philadelphia transition to local control and achieve financial stability. From 2018 until 2022, she served as president of the school board, where she led efforts to implement “Goals & Guardrails,” a strategic plan to raise student achievement in Philadelphia public schools. As part of the plan, the school board dedicates a significant portion of its time to establishing achievement goals in reading, math, and college and career readiness.
As the recipient of the 2025 Green-Garner Award, Wilkerson receives a $10,000 college scholarship to present to a student in the School District of Philadelphia.
Nashville Teacher Wins Queen Smith Award
Nashville music educator DaJuana “Dee” Hammonds was the winner of the Queen Smith Award for Commitment to Urban Education, presented to an urban school educator who has made significant contributions to education and to the community. Sponsored by the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., the award is named in memory of the company's late vice president of urban programs.
The Dean of Fine Arts at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School, Hammonds started teaching in 2007 as the music specialist at an elementary school. She is an Emmy Award winner for her work on the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools’ song and documentary, “Every Student Known: The Creation of an Anthem.” Hammonds is also a two-time Country Music Association Music Teacher of Excellence Award Winner.
Guilford Schools Receive Partnership Award
A partnership between Guilford County Schools in North Carolina and UNC Greensboro received the 2025 Dr. Shirley S. Schwartz Urban Education Impact Award. This award honors exceptional collaborations between universities and urban school districts that significantly enhance student learning.
Sponsored by Harmony Academy at National University, the award is named in honor of Dr. Shirley S. Schwartz, the Council's former Director of Special Projects and staff liaison with the colleges of education.
The Guilford County Schools - UNC Greensboro partnership was created to strengthen and expand district–university collaboration by improving educational experiences and outcomes through joint projects that enhance student learning, expand access to high-quality instruction, and diversify the educator workforce.