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New Palestine Principal Kayleigh Fosnow Surprised with Milken Educator Award and $25,000 Cash Prize

Governor Mike Braun and Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner join Milken Family Foundation’s Dr. Jane Foley to present “Oscar of Teaching”

December 17, 2025

New Palestine, Ind. — New Palestine Elementary Principal Kayleigh Fosnow received the surprise of a lifetime this morning at what she thought was a schoolwide assembly to welcome Governor Mike Braun and Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner. Instead, the event she helped plan was held in her honor! Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards, traveled from California to announce Fosnow as Indiana’s recipient for the 2025-26 school year. What’s more, the national honor comes with an unrestricted cash prize of $25,000. 

“Kayleigh Fosnow leads with purpose, passion and an unwavering commitment to academic success,” said Dr. Foley, a 1994 Indiana Milken Educator herself. “She sparks a genuine love of learning in her students at New Palestine, and the data-driven initiatives she has implemented have not only increased student achievement, but have also elevated the school as a model of excellence. We are proud to welcome Kayleigh into the Milken Educator Network.” 

“Having started her career in the classroom, Principal Fosnow is very intentional about creating trust and connections with students, families, and teachers alike that maximize each student’s academic success,” said Dr. Jenner. “This includes meeting with teachers every week to look at the data, celebrate wins, and identify areas where students may need additional support. Through this approach, students at New Palestine Elementary School are achieving impressive results in both reading and math, and their model is helping other schools and district leaders to improve outcomes for students.” 

The Milken Family Foundation’s 2025-26 tour will honor 30 educators coast to coast – adding to the Milken Educator Network of more than 3,000 professionals nationwide. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken in 1987, the Milken Educator Awards represent America’s preeminent educator recognition initiative, inspiring educators, students and communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession. By the end of this season, more than $76 million in individual financial prizes and more than $146 million will have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall. 

Educators are not aware of their candidacy for the Award and are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award. 

More About Kayleigh Fosnow 

Cultivating Enthusiasm and Curiosity: For Fosnow, building a love of learning extends from her two young sons, both students at the school, to her students and staff. It is not unusual to find Principal Fosnow in costume to celebrate a school achievement, and she often creates music videos to motivate young learners before statewide testing. Fosnow also installed a book machine to inspire students to read; all students receive a free book on their birthday. 

Driving Growth Through Vision and Teamwork: Fosnow, who taught special education, second and third grade before advancing to school administration, is a natural teacher leader who infuses excellence into everything she does at NPES. Her data-driven instruction led her to launch “SOAR to Excellence,” a program designed to improve schoolwide student performance in ELA and math. Teachers join Fosnow weekly to review data, identify strengths and discuss interventions for improvement. The results speak for themselves: After the first year of SOAR, students in grades 3 and 4 saw an 8-9% increase in math and reading proficiency. Last year, NPES students achieved a pass rate of 95% or higher on the IREAD assessment. Today New Palestine Elementary serves as a demonstration site for principals and district administrators, and Fosnow regularly mentors other school leaders in the community. 

Strengthening Connections Beyond the School: Fosnow’s enthusiasm for education does not stop at New Palestine’s classrooms. She is involved in school activities from Math Bowl to Student Council and has hosted a daddy-daughter dance, a mother-son baseball outing, a school carnival, and a fall mums fundraiser to engage families. One year, the fall fundraiser was so successful, Fosnow purchased a slide for the media center. 

Education: An Indiana State University graduate, Fosnow earned a bachelor’s in elementary and special education in 2008 and a master’s in elementary education in 2012. 

The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits

• The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
• Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs. Milken MeetUps abound across the nation to deepen learning and connection and expand innovation in education.
• The honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14, 2026, where they will network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders, about how to further develop their voice into roles that lead to real change.
• Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels. 

Follow the tour and use the #MilkenAward hashtag on: YouTube (MilkenAward)| Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward)| X (Milken)| LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn). Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information. 

About the Milken Educator Awards: “The Future Belongs to the Educated”
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.

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