Tracey Wilson, a newly appointed fourth grade teacher at Bradleyville Elementary in Ava, has been recognized among the 2023 Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow by the Missouri Milken Educators. The program was created in 2022 by the Missouri Milken Educators, in partnership with WGU Missouri, to recognize new and future teachers who are standouts in their profession. Wilson is one of 10 teachers across the state – all of whom recently graduated from institutions across Missouri – to receive the Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow designation this year.
All Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow inductees will receive the benefits of one-on-one mentorship from Missouri Milken Leaders, who were all previously recognized by the Milken Family Foundation with the National Milken Educator Award for their impressive achievements. Honorees will have a year of coaching and mentorship and will be able to access the full network of the Missouri Milken Educators. The network serves as a rich resource for fellow educators dedicated to excellence in education. Wilson and the other honorees learned they were selected for the designation in May.
Wilson recently graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from WGU Missouri and has been hired by the Bradleyville School District to teach fourth grade. At 47 years old, she has demonstrated it’s never too late to earn a college degree and pursue a teaching career. She has worked through many hurdles over the past 20 years to finally complete her bachelor’s degree in education.
Wilson first enrolled in college shortly after graduating high school but ended up dropping out – something she wishes she hadn’t done. She focused on raising two children while working as a paraprofessional, which is a role she held for 10 years before deciding to go back to school to pursue her teaching degree. When her youngest was in third grade, she attempted to earn her bachelor’s degree through WGU, but several life challenges got in the way – including a move from Indiana, where she had lived for 15 years, back to Missouri. As a result, she was unable to finish. She stayed persistent in her goal, however, and a few years later, while working full-time as a preschool teacher in the Bradleyville School District, she enrolled at WGU again. She encountered more barriers to completing her schooling, but this time, she was able to fulfill her goal of earning a bachelor’s degree in education. After completing her student teaching, she was hired as a substitute teacher for Bradleyville School District for the remainder of the 2022-2023 school year. She will teach fourth grade at Bradleyville Elementary starting in the fall.
Wilson is one of two recent WGU grads named to this year’s Missouri Teacher Leaders of Tomorrow class of 10 honorees. All recipients were selected for the honor by their respective university and Missouri Milken Educators because they stand out as examples of what’s right in the education profession. This year’s honorees recently graduated with their undergraduate degrees in education and completed student teaching in a Missouri school district during the 2022-2023 school year. Ten new teachers are recognized every year.
“We are honored to partner with Missouri’s Milken Educators and recognize recent grads from our Teachers College who have worked so hard to complete their degrees and stand out as amazing teacher leaders of tomorrow,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Vice President, of WGU Missouri. “Tracey demonstrated great commitment to education and student success during her time studying at WGU and throughout her student teaching. We know she will be an excellent teacher and will help her students reach their full potential. We feel privileged to count her among our WGU alumni community.”
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,600 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
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Merisa Ashbaugh
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