Mrs.

Merline Ballard

Mrs. Merline Ballard, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is the only child of the
late Merlin A. Bell and Ruth W. Bell. Mrs. Ballard is a 1977 graduate of Floyd E.
Kellam High School and she received her Bachelor degree from Virginia State
University in 1981. She received her first Masters Degree from the University of
Saint Thomas in Curriculum & Instruction and her second Masters Degree from St.
Marys University of Winona in Education Administration.

Mrs. Ballard has served children as an educator for 35 years. She has spent sixteen
years as a teacher in Virginia Beach Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools,
Camden, New Jersey Public Schools, and Minnesota Public Schools. Merline started
her administration career in Minneapolis, Minnesota by writing and developing the
curriculum for ninth grade teams along with being the African American Support
Coordinator. Merline served the majority of her administrative career in South
Bend, Indiana, working as an Assistant Principal, as a Central Office Administrator,
the Director of Student Management at the building level, and the Coordinator of
Riley Early College High School. Mrs. Ballards achievements led her to be Runner-
Up Teacher of the Year in Camden, New Jersey, Teacher of the Year in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, and Administrator of the Year in 2012 in South Bend, Indiana. Mrs.
Ballard also served as the Vice President for the South Bend Principals Association.

Merline has given many years working in the communities where she lived. She
started her community involvement with Gamma Mus Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa,
Inc., as a Xino. Presently, she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the
NAACP, and the Director of Women In Spiritual Harmony Womens Ministry. She
worked as a volunteer coach and umpire for South East Little League and she was a
volunteer Team Mom for the Senior Little League Softball World Series in Delaware.
Merline volunteered at the YWCA and the Hotep African American Battered
Womens Shelter and where she took 25 girls with her weekly to tutor all the
children in the shelter. Mrs. Ballard was also a Leadership participant in the St
Joseph County Chamber of Commerce. Merlines church affiliations have allowed
her to be a Sunday School Teacher, Praise Dance Coordinator, Assistant Youth
Director, Kitchen Staff Member, Nursery Staff Member, Usher, and many more. She
is now a returning member of Little Piney Grove Baptist Church, Virginia Beach,
Virginia, where she first confessed her love for Jesus Christ.
Mrs. Ballard celebrates 33 years of marriage to Walter W. Ballard, III and they have
three wonderful children; Walter IV, Christopher, and Imani.

Mrs. Ballard attributes her success to her strong faith in God and believing that she
must revisit and reclaim the inherent worth and dignity of every child she has and
will come to serve by providing them a mirror in which to see their own reflection.