Mrs. Denise Matlock is the Scholar Advocate Specialist at Taft Elementary K-5, a linkage expert helping scholars believe, dream, and achieve academically, socially, and emotionally.  Along with her advocate assignment, she is a part of the attendance team, PBIS, and MTSS.  She is a graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts and Science specializing, in Psychology.  She is a part of the graduate chapter of Psi-Chi.  She is a counselor in training at Grand Canyon University, finishing her master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  Denise worked in corporate America for thirteen years before changing her profession to education.   She has been in education for the past 10 years and has worked for the Youngstown City School District for the past 3 years.   Since she has been to the district, she has hosted the Nutcracker field trip that invites scholars in grades K-5 to embark on the world of storytelling and artistic expression.  She has also begun a Tier 2 group for scholars to learn new skills with the girl group “Crochet and Conversation.”  The scholars during the group were able to write down things on an index card anonymously and in collaboration with the Social Worker and Counseling to address their concerns while learning to crochet.  Last year, she courageously began a dance program for grade levels 3 through 5 to learn different genres of dance such as Ballet and Jazz.   When she is not busy at work, she loves spending time with her family, reading, crocheting, singing, and running her Dance Studio, Artistically U Dance Studio which has served as the Artistic Director for the past twenty-three years.    She has a passion for impressing upon the scholars of YCSD working adamantly to be impactful every day.