Watch: Trump Delivers Remarks at National Teacher of the Year Reception

President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the National Teacher of the Year Reception.

The program is run by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of public officials who lead departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Bureau of Indian Education, and five U.S. territories. The National Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952 and continues to highlight excellence in teaching.

The 2018 National Teacher of the Year award is being presented to Mandy Manning, an 18-year veteran English and math teacher from Spokane, Washington where she teaches at Joel E. Ferris High School.

“I am honored and excited to be the 2018 National Teacher of the Year,” Manning said. “This year I hope to engage the nation in a conversation about how we can encourage students to experience things outside of their understanding. When we move out of our comfort zones, visit new places, listen to others’ thoughts, and share our own opinions, we become compassionate and open. This is the first step in creating a more hopeful, safer, and kinder society where everyone can be productive, global citizens.”