A lasting influence

A seventh-grade math teacher helped Megan McEwen believe she could succeed. More than two decades later, that lesson still shapes the way she works with students and families.

McEwen, a first-grade teacher at Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary, has been named the latest First National Bank Teacher of the Week by readers of the Main Street Journal. She has taught for 24 years, and her selection makes five consecutive weekly winners from Bobby Ray.

McEwen grew up in Hendersonville and studied at Middle Tennessee State University, earning an Ed.S. degree in 2019. She credits her seventh-grade math teacher, Mrs. Bettye Salyers, with inspiring her to enter the profession.

“She made me believe I could succeed on anything,” McEwen said.

McEwen has worked with several extracurricular activities through her career, and remains involved in school improvement through the Instructional Leadership Team. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues, supporting other educators and building positive partnerships with families.

For McEwen, the most rewarding part of teaching is the relationships that grow beyond the classroom.

“The most rewarding part of teaching is not only the lasting relationships you build with students, but the lasting relationships you build with families,” she said.

The Teacher of the Week contest is presented by First National Bank of Middle Tennessee, with support from Smooth Rapids, Diamond Jewelry Company, Phillips Sales and Service and Graves Family Pharmacy. Weekly winners are removed from subsequent ballots and become eligible for the Teacher of the Year contest in the spring.

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