Even before she entered the teaching profession, Kimberle Campbell had a passion for math. As a teacher, she seeks to instill that passion in her students every day.

Her efforts have garnered attention across the state, and the Monarch Academy Annapolis has now been recognized as the 2026 Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Outstanding Elementary School Mathematics Educator.

“I am profoundly honored to receive this award, but it is not a solo achievement,” Campbell said. “It is a testament to the brilliance and resilience of my students, the trust and partnership of their families, and the commitment of my colleagues. It reaffirms my deepest conviction that mathematics, when taught with intentionality, inclusiveness, joy, and a belief in every child’s capacity for deep thinking, can become a source of empowerment.”

The award is given annually by MCTM to an elementary educator with at least three years in the classroom who delivers high-quality instruction, is dedicated to students and contributes to the greater mathematics education community.

Campbell began her teaching career in 2014 in North Carolina. She joined Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) in 2022 and currently teaches fifth grade at Monarch Academy. She also serves as the school’s Grade 5 Team Lead and Advanced Learner Program facilitator. During the 2024-2025 school year, Monarch Academy achieved the highest growth in both math and reading among Title I schools in AACPS.

Campbell is a National Board Certified Teacher and recently submitted her Maintenance of Certification (MOC) for the 2025–2026 cycle. She is pursuing a doctoral degree, and her coursework is actively shaping her research-based instructional practices in the classroom.

“I accept this honor as both a celebration and a call to continue cultivating equitable, curiosity-driven classrooms, and to champion the idea that transformative mathematics education is built one thoughtful moment at a time,” Campbell said. “I am deeply grateful to MCTM and to everyone who walks this journey with me. I am excited to continue learning, sharing, and advocating for great math instruction across Maryland.”