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Dear Milken Educators and Champions of Education,

The excitement is in full swing as Milken Family Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Lowell Milken tours the country rewarding unsuspecting and utterly deserving educators who are truly making a difference in the academic lives of their students.

But being a teacher also means that you’re a mentor and a role model to young minds. These next three recipients have demonstrated not only excellence in instruction, but the ability to inspire and empower their students to do more and be more.

Carrie Harper (CO '14) – Third-grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary School in Durango, Colorado

Fun fact about Carrie: She engages students in real world learning. When they read about air pollution in China, for instance, she created an interdisciplinary project in which students could choose a plant or “create” a hybrid plant to reduce pollution, even writing letters to persuade China to give the plants a try! Learn more about Carrie and see photos from her award assembly.

Don't miss: Carrie is barely able to contain her shock and gratitude when her name is called as the next Milken Educator Award winner. Watch the video >>

Amy Stanislowski (KS '14) – Third-grade teacher at Dodge Literacy Magnet Elementary School in Wichita, Kansas

Fun fact about Amy: She hosted a movie day that raised funds to help students in two schools that were damaged from a tornado, which helped her own pupils learn about the importance of community responsibility. Learn more about Amy and see photos from her award assembly.

Don’t miss: Amy is greeted with uproarious applause and a barrage of high-fives from her students as she makes her way to accept the award from Award-creator Lowell Milken. Watch the video >>

Samatha Morgan (TX '14) – Fifth-grade language arts and reading teacher at Clifton Elementary School in Clifton, Texas

Fun fact about Samatha: Known around school as “The Book Lady,” Samatha’s passion for reading and literacy show in her student's test scores: More than 90% are reported to achieve passing scores in reading standards, and reading fluency often grows by as much as two grade levels in her class.

Don’t miss: Samatha couldn’t quite believe that it was her name that was called. "I thought they said someone else's name, so my co-workers pushed me up." Watch the video >>

The trio honored this past week embodies the effective and inspiring teaching practices that have been synonymous with the Milken Educator Awards for the past 28 years.  We couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments and know they’ll have a positive impact on their students and fellow educators for many more years to come.

Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Rebekah Schilperoort

Web Writer & Content Manager, Milken Family Foundation

About Rebekah Schilperoort: I am honored to join the Milken Family Foundation as the new Web Writer & Content Manager. I recently moved to Los Angeles from Seattle, where I previously wrote for a newspaper covering education (among many other topics) and most recently for MSN. Please feel free to reach out to me with suggestions on how to make this newsletter fun and informative. I can be reached at rschilperoort@mff.org, 310-570-4771.