It's always a delight to see how an unsuspecting educator reacts to being surprised with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award at one of the many schoolwide assemblies taking place nationwide.  But it's particularly delightful when the recipient is the one who has organized the assembly, completely unaware of its real purpose.  Such was the case with Cheryl Watkins in Chicago.

As principal of John J. Pershing West Magnet School, Watkins not only organized the assembly that took place Wednesday morning, but also welcomed dignitaries who knew more about the purpose of the assembly than she did.

One such dignitary was Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan, who betrayed not a hint of the secret as he congratulated Pershing West's students and teachers on their outstanding educational achievements.

"We've had seven years in a row of successive achievement on test scores and seven years in a row of rising student attendance," he said. "Our goal is to become the best district in the country."

Of course, the special guest who had known about the true purpose of Watkins' assembly even long before Arne Duncan had was Lowell Milken, chairman of the Milken Family Foundation and creator of the Milken Educator Awards.

He was also the one who finally revealed the secret to Watkins.

But first he explained the rationale behind the Award, and why he created it.

"I believe that teachers and principals have the most important jobs in the country," he said to the students and staff at Pershing West.  "Research confirms that the most important school-related factor in student achievement is the quality of teachers and principals."

Watkins stood near the stage of the Pershing West auditorium, smiling and applauding in agreement.  A few minutes later, the smile was replaced by shock, disbelief and tears of joy as Lowell Milken announced her name as the recipient of the $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

Flooded with emotion in front of an auditorium packed with students and teachers chanting her name, Watkins listened as veteran Milken Educators from Illinois took turns congratulating her on the Award that they had won in years past.

"The money is really a token for choosing a career that was not motivated by money," said Daphne Whitington (IL '07).  "The honor will transform your life, so congratulations."

Samantha Godden-Chmielowicz (IL '07) told Watkins and her students and staff, "You get out of life what you put into it, and I can tell that all of you at Pershing West put a lot into life."

Kevin McCann (IL '90) revealed that Watkins had been a teacher on his father's staff when his father was a principal.

When it finally came time for Watkins to speak, she thanked the people who had helped bring about the achievements that led to her Award.

"I have an amazing faculty and staff," she said.

She also spoke about all the people who had come to the assembly because she had told them Arne Duncan and representatives from the Illinois State Board of Education were coming.  Or so they thought.

Lowell Milken told her, "Cheryl, you planned a beautiful party for yourself."

Photos from this event are now available at http://www.mff.org/mea/notif2008.taf?page=photos.