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What Makes a Hero?

Milken Family Foundation Co-Founder Mike Milken, Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton and Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Steven R. Staples celebrate the accomplishments of our newest Milken Educator, Angie Wytovich.

Dear Milken Educators and Champions of Education,

As educators, you know that students need heroes. But we’re not talking about the kind of hero that wears a cape or is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

The real heroes have the superpower to encourage greatness in students through their ideas and actions. They are, more often than not, ordinary people who are making an extraordinary difference in the lives of young scholars, and in turn, inspiring new heroes.

Join us in celebrating the work of heroes like our newest outstanding Milken Educator from Virginia, and powerful stories of people throughout history that are being discovered and celebrated in the classrooms of Milken Educators across the country.

New Milken Educator Angie Wytovich (VA '14) – Second-grade teacher at Buckland Mills Elementary School in Gainesville, Virginia

Fun fact about Angie: Angie's even-keeled demeanor has earned her the nickname "Zen” from colleagues. No doubt it’s helped contribute to her success in leading students to higher achievement in reading and math! Learn more about Angie and see photos from her award assembly.

Don't miss: The heartwarming moment when Angie’s students envelope their favorite teacher with congratulatory hugs and cheers. Watch the video >>

Unsung Heroines

In honor of Women’s History Month, read about some of the women throughout history who’ve inspired profound change in the world but whose bravery was never entirely acknowledged.  From a social worker who saved the lives of thousands of Jewish children, to one of the first people ever to use photography to wage an international human rights campaign, learn about the fascinating lives of these unsung heroines and see firsthand the power of project-based learning. See the full story >>

These amazing and true stories are all part of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, an international nonprofit and initiative of the Lowell Milken Family Foundation. LMC works with students and educators to discover and communicate the lives of Unsung Heroes who’ve made a positive impact on the course of history but have yet to be fully recognized for their actions.

The next time you are stressed over a lesson plan or simply trying to get the class back on task, remember that the work you do to motivate and educate the young minds of today – our leaders of tomorrow – is valiant and brave.

What do you think makes a teacher a “hero?” Tell us on Twitter @Milken using #HeroTeacher or in the comments below.

Sincerely,

Rebekah Schilperoort

Web Writer & Content Manager, Milken Family Foundation

What do you want to see in this newsletter? As the writer and editor of this newsletter, I would like to make it both a fun and informative resource for subscribers. Please feel free to reach out to me with suggestions on what you would like to see covered here: rschilperoort@mff.org, 310-570-4771.