During a gala event held at the Baylor Club, McLane Stadium in Waco on November 18, the Friends of Texas Public Schools honored the 2020 Texas Public Schools Ambassador of the Year, Brazosport ISD Superintendent Danny Massey.
The theme of the event was Winning Hearts Wins Minds in Texas Public Schools. Massey was surprised with a touching video highlighting many of his accomplishments, and one of BISD’s own students, senior Claire Cundieff, sang The National Anthem to kick off the event. Along with family and members of Massey’s team in attendance were two BISD students, Saylor Rosenbohm and Dottie LeFave. In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Massey stated that he had asked the girls to attend as representatives of the district but also to share that their generation will go on to be successful and that our future is indeed bright.
Friends Co-Founder Leslie Milder said, “Danny Massey is a model Ambassador for Texas Public Schools. His genuine love for the people of Brazosport ISD and his gift for connecting with students, staff and community is inspiring. People follow his lead because he is likeable, relatable, and they know he genuinely cares about them.”
The Ambassador award was established to honor and promote the efforts of an educator the organization believes serves their students and communities as an ambassador who inspires confidence in their schools and educators. The Ambassador of the Year exhibits courage, class, and conviction in his or her promotion of the great things happening in their schools and is quick to defend the honor of his or her colleagues.
Mr. Massey has been an educator in the Brazosport ISD for 30 of his 32 years in education, serving as a special education teacher, athletic coach, assistant principal, principal, executive director, assistant superintendent and as superintendent the past six years. Mr. Massey was named the 2020 Region 4 Superintendent of the Year and 2020 Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year. In 2016, the Brazosport LULAC Council selected Danny as their Educator of the Year and The Positive Coaching Alliance named him a National Leadership Fellow in 2015. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Vanessa’s Big Heart Foundation, a non-profit that raises money and awareness for pediatric congenital heart disease. He served on the Greater Houston Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes Advisory Board and currently serves on the Brazosport Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and is a member of the Brazosport Rotary.
Friends of Texas Public Schools, a nonprofit, grassroots organization shining a light on all that's right with Texas public schools. "Our Texas public schools are achieving more today than ever before," said Scott Milder, Friends of Texas Public Schools Co-Founder. "And it’s not because we test them more than ever before. It’s because educators are committed to winning the hearts of their students. Kids don't learn from adults unless they feel connected, protected, and loved. This year, we selected two honorees who embody this fundamental truth about educational success.”
Additional information, bios and photos from this year’s awards gala are available online at www.fotps.org/gala
