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Milken Educator Awards Shine a Spotlight on America’s Outstanding Educators

The Milken Family Foundation launches national tour to recognize and reward outstanding educators with the “Oscars of Teaching” and $25,000 cash

September 25, 2013

SANTA MONICA, CA — In schools across the country, exemplary middle and high school teachers are in for the surprise of a lifetime! They are about to learn—in front of their entire school and community—that they have been selected as 2013 Milken Educator Award recipients. The honor, one of education’s most prestigious recognitions, comes with an unrestricted cash prize of $25,000. These unsung heroes will be heralded with a fanfare typically reserved for stellar performances by athletes and entertainers.

2013 Milken Educator Awards Notification Press Release image Sakhalin FinnieHailed by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching,” what separates this Award from others is that the recipients have no idea that they will be honored. When an educator’s name is called, thunderous applause and cheers erupt from students, colleagues and dignitaries. Media surround the newly honored educator to capture the excitement of this unexpected celebration. In a moment’s time, these exceptional educators gain a significant financial prize and experience the unfamiliar but well-deserved acclaim they rightly merit.

“Our public education system is at the heart of America’s promise and essential to safeguarding the American dream for future generations,” said Lowell Milken, chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation.  “With research confirming that effective teachers represent the single most important school-related factor in raising student achievement, it is important to honor them, learn from them, and inspire more capable people to enter the profession.  As the program’s motto extols, the future belongs to the educated.”

The Awards story doesn’t end with the surprise notification. New recipients are invited to join the Milken Educator Network, a group of distinguished educators coast-to-coast whose expertise serves as a valuable resource to fellow educators, legislators, school boards and others shaping the future of education. “Milken Educators point to the Award as a pivotal professional milestone,” said Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards and a 1994 Milken Educator recipient from Indiana.

Since first presented to a dozen California teachers, the program has grown to become the nation’s preeminent teacher recognition program having honored nearly 2,600 K-12 teachers, principals and specialists. More than $136 million in funding, including over $64 million in individual $25,000 awards, has been devoted to the overall program, which includes powerful professional development opportunities throughout recipients’ careers.  From local to state to national and even international levels, the exponential impact of Milken Educators strengthens American K-12 education.

Alternating yearly between elementary and secondary educators, the Awards are sourced through each participating state department of education, which appoints an independent blue ribbon committee to confidentially review candidates for recommendation to the Foundation.

Award Criteria

Candidates for the Milken Educator Awards are selected on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
  • Exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession;
  • Individuals whose contributions to education are largely unheralded yet worthy of the spotlight;
  • Early- to mid-career educators who offer strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
  • Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.

For more information about the Milken Educator Awards, visit www.MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Foundation at (310) 570-4775.  Follow the Awards at www.twitter.com/milken, www.facebook.com/milkeneducatorawards and at www.youtube.com/milkenaward.

Education reform leader Lowell Milken created the Milken Educator Awards to recognize exemplary teachers and established the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) to generate more talented teachers, www.niet.org.  NIET operates TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement and the Best Practices Center. Lowell Milken recently provided the founding gift for the UCLA School of Law’s Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy. For more information about Lowell visit www.lowellmilken.com.

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Press Contact:

Barbara Bowers
Senior Manager, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs
310-570-4773 Office 310-488-3994 Cell