Melissa Porfirio: Virginia STOY and National Teacher of the Year Finalist 2014

Melissa Ann Porfirio is a first grade teacher at Crestwood Elementary School in Springfield, Virginia with more than eight years' teaching experience. "My personal mission is to better understand the whole child," Porfirio said. "I am committed to creating a classroom community that supports students' learning and maximum potential." A member of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, she has received several awards, including the Virginia Teachers of Promise Award and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Recognition of Excellence. Porfirio is involved in staff development training through her role as cohort facilitator and committee chair for Responsive Classroom training, and as a mentor to two first-year teachers. She is a graduate of The Catholic University of America with a B.A. in social work, and also holds an M.A. of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University.