Prince George High School’s Health and Physical Education Department Chair and Driver Education Coordinator, Mrs. Wanda Gilbert, was recently honored by the Virginia Association of Driver Education and Traffic Safety (VADETS) as the organization’s Classroom Teacher of the Year for the statewide organization.

VADETS is a professional driver education organization whose mission is to improve the quality of driver education and provide effective instruction to new drivers across the commonwealth, with over 2,500 driver education professionals within their membership, spanning public, private, and driver training schools. 

The organization’s annual teacher-focused honors reflect its values, recognizing those who serve as role models in the driver education space, use varied and innovative teaching methods, deliver a balanced, sequential curriculum, and are active in professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels. 

For Mrs. Gilbert, a fixture of the Prince George High School community for many years, the award reflects years of delivering high-quality driver education instruction to hundreds of Royals each year. Under her direction, Prince George High School’s driver education program has thrived, delivering thoughtful, detailed instruction, integrating real-world application, and emphasizing student responsibility and safety, with administrators praising Mrs. Gilbert for her attention to detail and her ability to connect with students.

“Mrs. Wanda Gilbert is an educator of extraordinary caliber,” Mr. Matt McAllister, Prince George High School Principal, said. “Her integrity, leadership, and unwavering focus on student success make her the ideal candidate for this distinguished honor. I can say with confidence that she represents the very best of what VADETS stands for.”

Alongside her duties as department chair, driver education coordinator, and the high school’s longtime volleyball coach, Mrs. Gilbert has served on various committees for Prince George County Public Schools, consulted with the Virginia Department of Education, and is active in her community as a member of the Prince George Ruritan Club. In addition, Mrs. Gilbert is a National Board-certified teacher and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, a leading education sorority. 

For more information about VADETS, visit their website at https://vadets.wildapricot.org/.