Trenton Teacher Wins Princeton Prize for Reading Program

Myra Bellamy turned her classroom into a place where reading became an adventure, and now Princeton University is celebrating her for it.

The reading specialist from Trenton will receive the Princeton Prize for Distinguished Secondary School Teaching at the university's commencement ceremony on Tuesday, May 26. The award recognizes teachers who show exceptional creativity and dedication in their classrooms.

Bellamy's winning approach centered on building a full classroom library from the ground up. She filled it with books that spoke to her students' lives and interests, making reading feel less like homework and more like discovery.

The Princeton Prize is no small honor. It's given to secondary school teachers who go beyond traditional methods to truly reach their students and ignite a passion for learning.

The Ripple Effect

When one teacher creates a space where students want to read, the impact spreads far beyond those four walls. Students who discover a love of reading carry that gift into every subject, every grade, and every chapter of their lives.

Bellamy's classroom library didn't just put books on shelves. It built bridges between reluctant readers and stories that could change how they see themselves and the world.

The recognition from Princeton shines a spotlight on what's possible when educators invest creativity and heart into meeting students where they are. It reminds us that sometimes the most powerful innovations aren't high-tech solutions but simple spaces filled with the right books and the right teacher.

On Tuesday, as Princeton honors its graduating class, it will also honor a teacher who understands that opening a book can open a future.