Freebird McKinney is a Village Teacher and a Global Educator. It is his calling and his purpose.  As the 2018 North Carolina State Teacher of the Year, he had the honor of inspiring countless young men and women inside and outside of the classroom, both in public high schools (for 17years), and at Elon University, as a School of Education adjunct professor. His mission has always been to motivate students to find their own voices and roles as Global Citizens, as well as encouraging fellow educators to grow their skills by expanding their classrooms into the global community. Partnering with Go Global NC and Dustin’s Greenhouse, he led students and educators on global immersion programs to Mexico, China, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos, South Africa, and Europe. Previously, in his role as the Director of Government and Community Affairs for the NC State Board of Education, Freebird served on multiple boards and commissions dedicated to expanding educational access and opportunity for NC students. This role also allowed him to work with the NC Department of Public Instruction, the NC General Assembly, school districts across NC, and education partners in creating opportunities for teachers and students to see that they are indeed “Educator Diplomats” who are transforming how our communities and world work together in shaping our collective future. Now serving as the Participate Learning Director of Partnership Development, Freebird is continuing to actualize his passion for Global Education by supporting partner districts and by sharing the benefits of the Global Leaders framework in developing Global Skills in our students so that they become Global Citizens in a Globally competitive and connected world. Freebird now resides in Burlington, NC, with his wife, Kelly, and their two children, Dorothy Gail and Jeremiah.