KANNAPOLIS — The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is proud to announce Beryl Torrence as the organization’s Educational Support Professional of the Year. Torrence currently works as the assistant director of operations for transportation for Kannapolis City Schools. She has been a member of the Kannapolis Association of Educators (KAE) for the last 20 years and currently serves as the association’s president.

A veteran of the United States Navy, she started her career in education as an Assistant Teacher at Forest Park Elementary school in Kannapolis. Throughout her tenure, Torrence has tirelessly advocated for her fellow educators, succeeding in securing higher pay for school bus drivers and working with district administrators to offer more professional development opportunities.

“Beryl Torrence’s lifetime of work is an amazing example of the impact ESPs have on students and entire school communities,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE president. “Their role in our schools is too often overlooked, but nonetheless indispensable.”

Torrence is a dedicated advocate not only for her local public schools but for her community. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd, she collaborated with other community leaders to create the Community BRIDGE (Building Relationships with Intentional Dialogue, Grace, and Empathy) Project to work with local law enforcement to prevent a similar tragedy from happening in her community.

She also services on the board of the Cabarrus Victims Assistance Network (CVAN) and on the City of Kannapolis Homeless and Affordable Housing Task Force.