Howard County Educator Named 2025 Teacher Leader Impact Award Winner

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — An educator from a Columbia elementary school has been named a 2025 Teacher Leader Impact Award winner by Edthena.

Bailey Weddington is a special education instructional team leader at Forest Ridge Elementary School. She's been an educator for 12 years and was nominated for the award by her school principal, Trish Lannon.

"I was both pleasantly surprised and excited. It's always nice to be recognized, especially by your administrator. So much of the work we as teachers do is behind the scenes, so it was wonderful for that work to be not only seen but acknowledged," Weddington told Patch.

In her nomination, Lannon described Weddington as "an exceptional educator and a dedicated leader who consistently goes above and beyond to support our students and staff."

"As both a special education teacher and our team leader, she brings compassion, expertise and a collaborative spirit to everything she does. We are incredibly proud to celebrate her well-deserved recognition as a teacher," Lannon wrote.

Teaching isn't just a career but a passion for Weddington.

"I love seeing the look on a student's face when they realize they've 'got it.' Many of the older students I work with are aware of their own individual needs and seeing them work so hard to learn something new and then realize they're able to apply those skills and show what they know is really rewarding to see," Weddington told Patch.

The 2025 Teacher Leader Impact Awards recognize teachers and teams of teachers for their commitment to collaborative professional development, lifelong learning and continuously improving their teaching practices. Selected from educators nationwide, winners receive a prize package that includes a cash prize, exclusive merchandise and a school-wide subscription to the AI Coach by Edthena platform for the 2025-2026 school year.

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