As a young student in Durham Public Schools, Dr. Marrielle Myers was recognized as gifted in math, English, and Language Arts. Her passion for these disciplines began in her home, where her parents valued a wide range of educational experiences. Dr. Myers enjoys giving back and recently returned to her two elementary schools, Eno Valley and Easley, with her parents and brother to read her own books from the Marlee Loves Math series on March 6.
The goal of the Marlee Loves Math series is to help young kids find the joy in mathematics, see how math can be used in their hobbies and everyday lives, and understand that math is much more than a subject during the school day. Her books are written with warmth and joy. The main character, Marlee the Mathematician, is a Black girl with big hair, braids, a bright smile, and spunk. Dr. Myers created Marlee to be identifiable by kids and to challenge stereotypes of what a “mathematician” looks like.
Bringing the Joy Back Home
Dr. Myers attended Durham Public Schools for elementary, middle, and high school. She started at Eno Valley before transferring to Easley Elementary, where she was among its first students. Dr. Myers remembers being a member of the student body who voted on the school mascot and choosing between the Easley Elephants and the Easley Eagles. It was also there that she received enrichment services.
“That is kind of where my love for math began. My love for teaching began at home because I used to teach my baby dolls. I was that child who played school, and even in elementary school, I thought of myself as the teacher’s helper... I was operating in my gift at a young age, being an assistant and helping other people understand what they should be doing,” she said jovially.
At Carrington Middle, Dr. Myers continued in the gifted math program, recalling Ms. Grayling Williams as a key teacher and MSEN Coordinator. Participation in the MSEN Saturday Academy let her practice advanced math and engage in college-level activities.
At Northern High School, she fondly remembers her English teacher and countless hours spent diagramming sentences. She also recalled her Calculus teacher, who she says, “kept us in line. It was challenging, but sometimes those big challenges are also the biggest rewards.”
She graduated from Northern in 1999. Following high school, she matriculated at Hampton University, a historically Black college. Marrielle majored in mathematics, where she said she was one of nine in her class. “Hampton University is where I got a deep understanding of math. There was something special about unpacking complex problems, theorems, proofs, and number theory in a small environment where everyone looked like me. It was the first time in my academic career that I was not the minority in my mathematics classes,” she said.
After graduating from Hampton in 2003, she returned home to earn her Master's in Education from North Carolina State University in 2007. She eventually earned her Ph.D. in Math Education from State in 2014.
When Dr. Myers began her high school teaching career in Wake County, she noticed students who needed additional support. Many of the students she served had been passed along due to perceived behavioral issues. She noted that many students had been underserved over the years, were not offered the best experiences in math, and needed additional support with foundational concepts.
“That’s what got me to shift to thinking about how I could have more impact in elementary because if I can help kids love math and see themselves as doers of math at an earlier age, then maybe they can hold onto that as they progress,” she said.
To address her goals, she began working on K-2 projects at E.K Powe with her doctoral professors and graduate student colleagues. After completing her Ph.D. program, she transitioned into higher education, where she now works with current and future elementary mathematics teachers. Dr. Myers is now a tenured full professor of mathematics education at Kennesaw State University and serves as Director of Faculty Success for the College of Education.
Marlee Is Born
Years later, Dr. Myers says she was inspired to embed math in children's books connected to her childhood. Her first, "Operation Feed the Ducks with Marlee the Mathematician," honors weekly trips with her father and brother to the Eno River to feed the ducks. Her second book, "Marlee the Mathematician and The Birthday Countdown," was released in February 2026. Each book in the series—and future ones—focuses on early math concepts.
“I want readers to feel joy when they think about math. We are all math people. None of us gets to opt out. We are all brilliant, and brilliance takes on many forms. It doesn’t live inside four walls at a school. It’s up to us to nurture and steward our gifts so we can inspire others.”
You can learn more at www.marleelovesmath.com. You can connect with Dr. Myers on social media at @marleelovesmath.