Ellington leaving lasting legacy in Bearden theater department

Looking around theater teacher Mr. Glen Ellington’s classroom, it is clear to see that he has left a lasting impression on the Bearden High School theater department – literally. Murals on his walls depict plays from years past and help remind students of the memories and moments they’ve shared with him in wake of his retirement.

After 30 years of teaching and seven years in the Bearden theatre program, Mr. Ellington is closing the curtain on his long teaching career. Remembering his time at Bearden, Mr. Ellington finds himself with many fond memories of his students and the productions they’ve helped him put together over the years.

With these 10 plays and the thousands of hours spent working with students, Ellington said one thing that will he will miss once he retires will be the opportunity to work with fellow theater teacher Mrs. Leann Dickson.

“The truth is that the most memorable thing about all of this was working with Mrs. Dickson because she’s just a swell person to work with and cute as a button and funny and bright and cheerful and all the things that I’m not, particularly,” Mr. Ellington said. “We’ve had a good complementary relationship.”

Although his time at Bearden has come to an end, he does not plan to let retirement be uneventful. Mr. Ellington said he has around half a dozen plays, a children’s book, and about 20 songs he wants to get published, and maybe a little fishing and golf here and there.

After teaching at Bearden the past seven years, he wants to make sure that his legacy is one that will continue to influence students today and in the future.

“The legacy I would leave here would be about creating opportunities for kids to do stuff, and I love a good show, but I’m more interested in 10 years from now – not kids remembering how good a show was, but what they earned from it.”