In advance of our 2025 Hall of Fame gala, we are highlighting this year's remarkable honorees. Join us in honoring Bessie Cooper and other inductees at the Hall of Fame Gala on May 1. Tickets are available now.
Bessie Cooper served as the exemplary principal of Bensley Elementary 2001-2017, keeping what was best for students at the center of decisions. Her belief in the importance of relationships, her ability to clearly communicate goals and her innovative use of data and small group instruction transformed Bensley into a standard of educational excellence. The school earned multiple prestigious awards (including the National School Change Award in 2002, the National Title I Distinguished School Award in both 2002 and 2014 and the International Reading Association’s Exemplary Reading Program Award for Virginia in 2014) during her tenure, and educators from other districts visited to learn from the Bensley model. Bessie’s approachable, friendly and accepting attitude created a space where students felt empowered to believe in themselves, where teachers and staff were inspired to do their best and where the entire community was improved.
The 2025 inductees this year include: Katherine Baugher, Bessie Cooper, Kathy Kitchen, Catherine “Kitty” Neale, Brad Peebles and Linda Wood. Learn more about all our honorees on our Hall of Fame page.