VIP Teacher Spotlight:
Story by Amelia Bowen
For Hannah Ogden, the library has always felt like home. The daughter of a teacher, she grew up helping set up her mom’s preschool classroom before spending her college years working at a public library, a path that led seamlessly to her own career as an elementary school librarian. Now in her 19th year in education, Hannah has spent the past 13 years at W.R. McNeill Elementary School, blending books, literacy, and technology as the K–5 library media specialist. Her favorite part of the job is standard setting continuity: watching kindergartners discover new stories, then guiding those same students into fifth graders with distinct tastes and literary passions. A National Board Certified Teacher (renewed in 2024), Hannah’s creative approach has earned national attention. She was recently featured on KET’s Kentucky Edition for her teacher trading card initiative, which rewards reading milestones with collectible cards featuring school staff. The program’s popularity has opened doors for her to present at state conferences and help schools nationwide launch their own versions. Off the clock, Hannah is a professional harpist who has performed at events since the eighth grade. She and her husband, Stephen, celebrate 20 years of marriage this December and have two daughters. Together, they love hiking, kayaking, and retreating to a fall cabin for board games, home cooking, and Johnny Cash.
FAVORITE BOOK?
“It’s impossible to choose just one! My favorite children’s author is Roald Dahl, and I also love the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, P.G. Wodehouse and Barbara Kingsolver. This summer, I read the entire Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series, and I can’t wait for the next book to be published!”
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB?
“Knowing that I’m making a positive difference in the lives of students from many different cultures and backgrounds. I love hearing how much a student enjoyed a book I recommended and seeing their excitement during a book fair or reading event. Every year, our entire school reads the same novel, and we decorate the library and plan activities around the book. It has really helped build a culture of reading at our school, and I look forward to it every year!”