CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Mullens Elementary School teacher Brooke Bailey was honored again last week during the state Board of Education meeting as the 2025 West Virginia Milken Educator Award recipient.
Bailey, who teaches third- and fourth-grade math, joined the list of award winners in November 2025 when the Milken Family Foundation surprised her during a ceremony at her school.
“When they called my name, I remember thinking, oh my gosh, and I’m sure if you’ve seen my video that was on the state department page, that’s exactly what I looked like, I immediately covered my face and thought I don’t think they really meant to call my name,” Bailey said during the board’s meeting.
The Milken Educator Award is a national recognition for outstanding K-12 educators. Recipients join the Milken Educator Network, which connects more than 3,000 educators nationwide, and receive $25,000.
Stephanie Bishop, vice president of the Milken Family Foundation, was on hand during last Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting to present Bailey with the foundation’s obelisk, further recognizing her as part of the network.
Bailey said teaching in a small town in Wyoming County has given her the opportunity to engage with parents and students. She said she also spends time outside the classroom coaching students in basketball, cheerleading and baseball.
She said it serves as a reminder that what she does goes beyond the classroom.
“It reminds me every day that what I do matters far beyond the classroom walls,” Bailey said. “Teaching isn’t just about delivering content it’s about those relationships, one of the lessons I’ve learned as a teacher is that students need to know you care before they’re willing to take risks in learning.”
At the school, she also serves as a professional learning community facilitator, mentor teacher, after-school tutor and summer school instructor.
Bailey said those relationships she has built have helped in the classroom, with students understanding math better than before.
“My students trust me, they’re often willing to go out of their comfort zone to learn math and I feel incredibly successful when they leave me saying I’ve never loved learning math until now,” she said.
Bailey became the state’s 81st award winner and the first from Wyoming County.
Bailey said the award not only highlights educators but also shines a light on what they are doing in the classroom to help students succeed.
“Teachers everywhere are creating opportunities, encouraging curiosity, and helping students discover their potential,” she said. “In West Virginia our educators are resilient, creative, and deeply committed to our students.”
She said that by joining the network of Milken Educator Network, she will be able to learn from other educators and use new tools in her classroom.
“When educators come together, share ideas, and support each other the impact multiplies, the work we do individually in our classroom becomes something even bigger,” Bailey said.