Brittany Yhap, Theodore G. Davis Middle School, was recently named the 2025 Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Assistant Principal of the Year. Yhap, described as a passionate and supportive leader that goes above and beyond for students and staff at the school, guides with deep care and love. 

“Ms. Yhap pushes us to success and wants us to do our best,” Anayia Malone, Davis seventh-grade student, said.

Yhap started with CCPS in 2012 as a sixth-grade English language arts (ELA) teacher at John Hanson Middle School. She then continued her journey as a teacher at General Smallwood Middle School before landing a position as an administrative intern at Thomas Stone High School. She made her debut at Davis in 2019 and has been there since.

“She is not afraid to take on extra,” Davis Principal Robert Griffiths said. Since being at Davis, Yhap has created additional opportunities for students and staff to flourish during the school day. She implemented the Self-Care Collective at the school for staff to improve self-care where individuals can go into the staff lounge for relaxation and recuperation. “These small gestures go a long way in boosting morale and making the workplace feel warm and welcoming,” Michele Petricoin, special education teacher at Davis, said.

Yhap also implemented a program for students with an individualized education plan (IEP) that provides an alternative to out-of-school suspension called the Falcons Long Term ISI program. The program allows students to earn points each day to earn their way back into their regular classes.

She often expresses her care for students through the expectations created for them. “Ms. Yhap broke barriers and pushed my son to want to do better,” Michelle Sweetney, parent of former Davis student, said. “I truly owe her so much as this change was the best thing to happen to my son.”

Her many roles at the school extend beyond administrative duties as she provides guidance to individuals in need. “Ms. Yhap always makes time for those who need her,” Cherelle Myles, special education teacher at Davis, said. Paige Hickman, AP at Davis, chimed in and said that Yhap has helped her when she first transitioned from her role at a high school to now serving in the middle school environment. “Ms. Yhap genuinely cares about making sure that all students and staff at Davis Middle succeed,” Hickman said.    

Many staff and students at the school sing her praises for her dedication to the school. “She knows that her work isn’t always just about her success, but the success of the school,” Griffiths said. She is dependable and often gives up her time to support families and staff at the school. “I am a better principal because of her,” he said. “Davis is a better place when she is here.”

“Davis is honestly very lucky to have her as one of our assistant principals,” Sayda Elgamar, seventh-grade student at Davis, said. Karma Webb, seventh-grade student at Davis, agreed. “Without you at this school we would be lost,” she said of Yhap.

Other programs and events that Yhap introduced to the school included the Beautiful Tomorrow assembly, a community-based program created to engage students in a presentation on self-worth, education and mental health, and the inaugural Black History Month exhibition, Gallery of Heroes. The event was held after school with over 200 visitors.

She is a continuous learner attending professional learning opportunities to better herself as an educator such as AVID conferences to assist staff and students in the AVID cohort and implicit bias trainings. She is furthering her education at Stevenson University to obtain a second master’s degree in community-based educational leadership. Yhap has presented at the CCPS New Teacher Orientation from 2023-2025, led professional learning for Davis and Stone staff to help them build rapport with students and their parents who have faced adverse childhood experiences, and led professional learning for new instructional assistants (IA) and staff at the school.

“The way we [leaders] love is the way we live,” Yhap said as she received the award. “And if we choose to love no matter the cost to our time, pockets, resources or reputations, that is the foundation of strong and effective leadership.” She said that leaders cannot be in their positions and lack empathy. “We would do well as leaders to remember that if we love something, it is of value to us. And if something is of value of us, we will take time enjoying it and time taking care of it.” she said. “That is the foundation of true leadership.”

Yhap was recognized for the award by the Board of Education of Charles County at its June 10 meeting. Watch the recognition portion of the meeting on the CCPS YouTube Channel.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 38 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event. 

CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).