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The $25,000 Nevada Milken Educator Award Goes to … Allie Galas!
Jessie Beck Elementary fourth grade teacher surprised with prestigious, national Award for her excellence in teaching in Reno
March 04, 2025
Santa Monica, Calif. — Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert paid a visit to Washoe County School District's Jessie Beck Elementary School this morning for what was initially thought to be a celebration of student success. Then, the assembly exploded with applause when Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley revealed an added surprise: Fourth grade teacher Allie Galas is the recipient of Nevada's 2024-25 Milken Educator Award! The honor comes with a $25,000 cash prize that Galas can use however she chooses.
"We commend Allie Galas for creating a nurturing environment for students to excel," said Dr. Foley, who is a 1994 Indiana Milken Educator herself. "Outside of the classroom, Allie is a valued mentor who strengthens all elements – from pedagogy and family involvement to social-emotional learning – that ensure every student has access to a high-quality education. Congratulations, Allie, and welcome to the Milken Educator Network!"
Galas is the 94th recipient in Nevada since the state joined the Milken Educator Awards initiative in 1988.
"I would like to congratulate Allie Galas on this well-deserved recognition," said Superintendent Ebert. "In her classroom, students take ownership of their learning and Allie's creative, engaging, hands-on lessons inspire curiosity and excitement. Her students have made remarkable academic growth and Allie is truly a leader among her peers."
Today Galas joins a national network of over 3,000 Milken Educators spanning the Awards' nearly 40-year history as the nation's preeminent teacher-recognition program. Hailed as the "Oscars of Teaching," the Milken Educator Awards inspire educators, students and entire communities to "Celebrate, Elevate and Activate" the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career. More than $75 million in individual financial prizes and more than $145 million have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
Outstanding educators like Galas are not aware of their candidacy for the Award. Recipients 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 Allie Galas
Guiding Student-Led Learning: Allie Galas is a fixture in the Jessie Beck school community and Washoe County School District (WCSD). Her years of expanding the minds of young learners throughout WCSD led her to teaching fourth grade at Jessie Beck, where she continues to make an impact on students every day by leading an inclusive, positive, safe, and engaging classroom. Utilizing restorative circles, regular classroom meetings, and research-based, hands-on projects, Galas promotes student collaboration while building their problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills. She fosters ownership of learning by empowering students to lead classroom discussions, lessons and conferences – taking risks and learning from their mistakes. For example, while guiding students through the CUBES (Circle, Underline, Box, Evaluate, Solve) math strategy, Galas encourages them to confer with each other on the right path to the solution, then check their answers. Galas also draws from her Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) and English Language Acquisition Development (ELAD) trainings to effectively support English Language Learners. Her efforts have yielded continuous math and ELA performance growth.
Advancing Instructional Skills and School and District Leadership: Galas is committed to bettering herself and those around her. She opens her doors to observation, mentors student teachers and new teachers, and has participated in a science-of-reading book study, Regional Professional Development Program (RPDP) trainings, and a local education agency (LEA) special education support class. Galas works with the fourth grade team, using programs such as Benchmark and EnVision to design standards-based lesson plans. Over the past two years, she has participated in committees and classes to enhance the educational experience, including 21st century learning pedagogy, education access, family engagement, and social-emotional learning. In WCSD, she leads professional development as part of her role in the Restorative Practices cohort, and presented at the New Teacher Project Summer Academy for hundreds of district personnel. Galas also works with fellow fourth grade teachers in the district on developing student-centered lessons utilizing artificial intelligence.
Education: Galas earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education with an ESL endorsement in 2012 from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Master of Education in educational administration in 2016 from Grand Canyon University.
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 promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs.
- The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles April 1-3, 2025, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.
- Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.
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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.