(Photo by LewAnn Rene)

My name is Joy Wilson DeFraene. I’m a mother to three children, two sons and a daughter, and a wife to a hard-working firefighter. I am currently a high school math and dance teacher at a middle college located in Southern California. Prior to this year, I also worked for 15 years as a ballet teacher at several different dance studios in the same area. I have a passion for helping youth realize their strengths and talents. At the end of each class, I tell my students “do not ever forget how smart, gorgeous, talented, and strong you are.”