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ELKINS -- A Davis & Elkins College student and Coalton resident has received the first-ever Outstanding Future Educator Award from the West Virginia Reading Association (WVRA).
Hannah Phillips, a senior at D&E majoring in Elementary & Special Education with specializations in Early Childhood and Reading, was announced as the winner of this award during the WVRA's annual conference at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling. This is the inaugural year for the Outstanding Future Educators award category.
"I feel incredibly lucky to have received this award, as I have always dreamed of becoming an educator," Phillips said in a press release from D&E. "I think my professors and many mentors really deserve the credit, as I would not be here without them. I cannot wait to have a classroom of my own!"
"I am thrilled Hannah was selected as a recipient of this award," Department Chair of the D&E Education Program Melanie Gribble said. "It is a testament to her passion for teaching and commitment to literacy. Hannah is a true example of an outstanding student, and this achievement highlights the bright future that lies ahead in her teaching career."
Among the prerequisites for consideration was the submission of five letters of endorsement. According to D&E, Phillips' hallmark qualities center around her "engagement with students, her ability to create environments where all voices are heard and valued, her unbridled professionalism and positivity and the sincere care that she puts toward her work."
"Among the many outstanding students on the campus of Davis & Elkins College, Hannah Phillips is one of the most special," Davis & Elkins College President Chris Wood said. "Every young boy or girl that has Ms. Phillips for a teacher will be blessed by her passion, professionalism and knowledge. I thank the WV Reading Association for selecting Hannah for this award which reflects wonderfully upon her and her professors.
WVRA's key focus is improving reading instruction for all students. During the years since its founding in 1968, WVRA is said to have evolved and made great strides to recognize student achievement in reading and provide professional development for all educators in reading. Today, the Association remains the oldest professional organization in West Virginia committed to eradicating illiteracy in the Mountain State.
To learn more about the West Virginia Reading Association, visit wvreading.com.