Bush Hager to headline McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching

Jenna Bush Hager will deliver the keynote address at the 2015 McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching on April 16 at Radford University's Bondurant Auditorium at Preston Hall.

Hager, the daughter of former President George W. Bush, is a contributing correspondent on NBC's Today show and an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine.

Hager is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," which she wrote after traveling to Latin America in 2006 as an intern with UNICEF. "Ana's Story" is based on the life of a 17-year-old single mother with HIV, who struggles to shield her child from the life she had of abuse and neglect.

The McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching is an annual event, now in its 16th year, honoring the Blue Ridge region's best teachers with the McGlothlin Awards for Teaching Excellence. Six finalists have been selected for the 2015 awards. These awards are some of the largest monetary awards for teaching in the nation.

Two winners, who will be awarded $25,000 each, will be announced at the ceremony conducted by the McGlothlin Foundation, Blue Ridge PBS and Radford University's College of Education and Human Development. The awards ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m.

The three finalists in the elementary category are:

• Glen Chilcote, Kipps Elementary School, Montgomery County Schools
   
• Michelle Lionberger, Herman L. Horn Elementary, Roanoke County Schools
   
• Jalenda Settles, Huddleston Elementary School, Bedford County Schools

The three finalists in the secondary category are:

• Charlene Gross, E. B. Stanley Middle School, Washington County (Virginia) Schools
   
• Tina Tapp, Radford High School, Radford City (Virginia) Schools
   
• Jill Winiger, Liberty Bell Middle School, Johnson City (Tennessee) Schools

The awards ceremony caps the day's McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching activities that begin at 3:45 p.m. at various locations on campus. The schedule includes:

• Previous Winner Presentation (2014 Winner K-5): Steven Cregger, Washington County, Virginia– Heth 014
   
• Previous Winner Presentation (2014 Winner 6-12): Susan Hampton, Bristol City, Virginia – Heth 022
   
• Teachers Connecting the Elementary Classroom to the World: Terry Smith, Radford University – Heth 043
   
• Teachers Connecting the Secondary Classroom to the World: Mythianne Shelton, Radford University – Heth 016

Hager will participate in a Q-and-A session with Radford University students and faculty at 5 p.m. Radford President Penelope W. Kyle will moderate the session.

To learn more about the McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching event at RU, email mcglothlin@radford.edu.