Rockingham Academy teacher receives first Bridgewater College leadership award

Jennifer Trumbo, a seventh- and eighth-grade math and science teacher at Rockingham Academy in Harrisonburg, has been honored with the 2024 Bridgewater College Educational Leadership Award.

The new award recognizes local educators who display exceptional servant-leadership and a sustained commitment to bold and daring education with underserved students.

The Educational Leadership Award was established in early 2025 by the College’s Teacher Education Program and Nolen School of Business and Professional Studies, and will be offered annually to teachers and administrators in the greater Shenandoah Valley area. Trumbo accepted the $5,000 award from Dr. Barbara Long, dean of Bridgewater’s Nolen School, during a ceremony at Rockingham Academy in October 2024.

“It is so important to recognize the dedication and hard work of our local public school teachers since they do so much for our community. We are thrilled to have Jennifer Trumbo be the first recipient of this award. She is just a tremendous woman and educator, and it’s clear she has made a memorable, lasting impact on her students,” Long said.

Trumbo is in her fifth year at Rockingham Academy, an institution which provides an alternative education designed for students from diverse communities, and her 20th year of teaching. She has spent her entire teaching career within the Rockingham County Public School system, and, prior to her current role, Trumbo taught preschool for seven years at Fulks Run Elementary School in Fulks Run, Virginia.

In the classroom, Trumbo creates a space where her students feel safe before educating. She helps her students understand their inner landscape, which refers to what they are experiencing socially and emotionally, to enhance their ability to learn. Trumbo models the approach by willingly sharing her own vulnerability and experiences with her students.

“We put labels on people and education, but it’s really all the same. We’re all human beings needing to be met where we are. I truly believe that every human being is both an educator and a learner. As I teach, my students are helping me learn to see the world in new ways,” Trumbo said.

Information about the nomination process for the 2025 Bridgewater College Educational Leadership Award will be provided to local school divisions in spring 2025.

Founded in 1880, Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college in the Central Shenandoah Valley. Bridgewater College is home to approximately 1,450 students pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergraduate majors and minors and four graduate programs housed within three distinct schools.