Danielle Hicks began her college experience as a pre-med student, but she soon discovered that she could not stand the sight of blood. After exploring different career paths, Hicks found her passion for education.
“I have students who are now full-grown adults with careers of their own that still take the time to stop and see me,” she said.
Hicks taught 8th-grade English language arts for 17 years at Clinton County Middle School. Most recently, she spent the 2022-2023 school year teaching students across all grade levels in the Clinton County Migrant Education Program, which provides supports and services to meet the needs of the families that travel and relocate often due to temporary or seasonal farm work.
Hicks earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education with an emphasis in English and social sciences from Lindsey Wilson College. She also has a master’s in education in instructional leadership from Eastern Kentucky University, as well as an education specialist degree in instructional leadership from Tennessee Technological University.
Hicks said that the greatest life lesson she has learned throughout her teaching career is to respect the idea that every person is unique.
“Not everyone responds to things the way that I do, so it’s really opened up my world to see all the different students from all the different walks of life,” she said. “As evidenced by my own children, no two kids are the same. … You have to individualize learning to meet every child’s needs because every student is different.”
Hicks was named as a 2023 Teacher Achievement Award winner.
When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys traveling, reading and spending quality time with her family.
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