Mullens Math Teacher Awarded $25,000 For Excellence In Education

West Virginia’s 2025 Milken Educator Award winner is Brooke Bailey, a third and fourth grade math teacher at Mullens Elementary School in Wyoming County.

She was selected for supporting her students’ analytical and research skills with creative, real-world applications of their math lessons

“A lot of kids say, ‘Well, I can’t learn math. I’m not a math brain,’” she said. “But I love to prove them wrong and show them that they can, and help them find their love of math.”

Each year, the Milken Foundation selects teachers from across the U.S. to recognize them for excellence in teaching and award them an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. The winner is a complete surprise to everyone except the state’s Department of Education and perhaps the school’s principal and some administrators.

“We knew that the state superintendent would be here, that our leadership team from our county board would be here, and we would have some special visitors in our building, had no clue what it was about” Bailey said. “We just won an exemplary practice school award last year, so we thought a continuation of that. We just all gathered in the gym and quickly realized it was a little different.” 

Hours after the announcement, Bailey said she was still in shock that she was the recipient, and insisted she just teaches and loves her kids.

“Anybody in this school building, they could have awarded for their hard work and effort and their love of kids, and every single person here is deserving of it,” she said. “I’m super honored that I was chosen, but anybody in this building would absolutely deserve that award.”

Bailey is West Virginia’s only Milken recipient this year, but is the state’s 81st teacher named a Milken Educator since the state joined the program in 1990.

“West Virginia educators provide top-tier instruction and compassion in the classroom every day. They build strong foundations to help our students to succeed and become leaders of the Mountain State,” Michele L. Blatt, superintendent of schools said. “We are excited that the Milken Family Foundation recognized Ms. Bailey as a prime example of the incredible work being done in our public schools.”

Honorees receive mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles. Bailey will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., in June with the 30 other recipients nationwide for the 2025-2026 school year, as well as recipients from prior years.