Heavily involved in academia, Brenda Fortes spent decades working to instill the best values in her students and to help those in need. She started as a high school English teacher within the Boyertown Ares School District, and proceeded to become a district library research coordinator at the institution. While there, Ms. Fortes initiated, designed, and successfully implemented a research process remediation plan for senior language arts students and developing a writing and reading remediation program and academic integrity initiative statement. Other positions include English adjunct faculty, high school English teacher, English language learners tutor, and member of the president’s advisory board on diversity at Montgomery County Community College. She prepared for her endeavors with a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern University.
Outside of the schools, Ms. Fortes was very active in her community. She served on the No Place for Hate Committee through the Pottstown Police Department in Pennsylvania and the committee advisory panel for Occidental Chemical and as the publicity chairperson for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Further, she remains affiliated with prominent organizations like the American Association of University Women, Kappa Delta Pi, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the National Women’s History Museum, and the Boyertown Area Education Association. Now in retirement, Ms. Fortes is spending her time pursuing hobbies like reading, baking bread, sewing, giving piano lessons, and community service.