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Surprise! Exceptional Educator at V. Sue Cleveland High School Receives Milken Educator Award and $25,000 Cash Prize

STEAM and Robotics teacher Ashli Knoell’s enthusiasm for learning inspires students every day

December 13, 2023

Rio Rancho, NM — V. Sue Cleveland High School was abuzz with excitement today for New Mexico Secretary of Public Education Dr. Arsenio Romero's visit, but the school, and one very special teacher, were surprised with some unexpected news – STEAM and robotics teacher Ashli Knoell received the 2023 Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 cash prize!

Knoell received the Award from Dr. Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards senior vice president, and Dr. Romero, as well as a gymnasium full of cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media. The Award comes with a $25,000 cash prize that recipients can use however they choose, as well as lifelong membership to the Milken Educator Network to collaborate with fellow recipients and broaden their impact on K-12 education.

"We are delighted to present Ashli Knoell with the Milken Educator Award today, acknowledging her outstanding contributions to her classroom, V. Sue Cleveland High School and the greater Rio Rancho community," said Dr. Jane Foley, a Milken Educator Award recipient from Indiana in 1994. "Her tireless dedication to her students’ learning, her own professional growth and her commitment to peer mentoring demonstrate Knoell as a beacon of inspiration, shaping the future of our youth and leaving an indelible mark on Rio Rancho's educational landscape."

Hailed as the "Oscars of Teaching," the Awards will honor up to 75 recipients across the country in 2023-24 as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s Journey to the 3,000^th Milken Educator. 2023-24 will reach $75 million in individual financial prizes spanning the length of the initiative and more than $144 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to "Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate" the K-12 profession and inspiring young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.

"I am excited for Ashli Knoell, the V. Sue Cleveland High School students and staff, and the Rio Rancho community that she is being recognized for her incredible work in the classroom," said Dr. Romero. "She has proven to be an innovative teacher, as seen in her Natural Disaster inclusion class and her work with STEAM + Robotics. She sets a great example for her students. Her leadership qualities and commitment to collaboration with her colleagues make her exactly the kind of educator New Mexico students deserve."

The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. 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 Ashli Knoell

Passionate Educator Who Inspires Love of Learning: In the hallways of V. Sue Cleveland High School, Knoell is a dynamic force, known for her enthusiasm, innovation, and connection with her students. Since taking over the STEAM and Robotics classes at CHS a few years ago, Knoell's positive energy and ability to connect with learners of all backgrounds has built a solid foundation for learning in her classroom, and her students consistently achieve at high levels in the school and district. Knoell's passion for science education, woven throughout everything she does at CHS and in the Rio Rancho community, is designed to instill a mutual love of learning in her students.

Real-World Projects Bring Science to Life: Knoell currently teaches three levels of STEAM and Robotics classes, and her classroom is a hive of activity, creativity and collaboration. She seamlessly integrates STEAM into various subject areas, forging partnerships with community agencies and businesses, including Tamaya Ventures, TESLA and the New Mexico Regional Education Cooperatives Association. She also looks beyond her classroom walls to engage in extracurricular leadership opportunities, including sponsoring or co-sponsoring a range of STEAM and robotics clubs, highlighting her commitment to encouraging real-world applications of classroom learning for her students.

Committed to Professional Growth and Peer Mentoring: Beyond the classroom, Knoell serves as a mentor to new teachers; an instructional leader for the ninth grade; and the coordinator of the Near Peer program, providing tutoring to high school students through a grant-funded initiative. Her involvement at the state level, particularly with the International Society of Technology in Education's (ISTE) professional learning communities, reflects her dedication to continuous professional growth.

Education: Knoell received a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from the University of New Mexico in 2010 and a Master of Science for Teachers from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) in 2017. 

More about the Milken Educator Award Journey: "The Future Belongs to the Educated"

• The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in June 2024, 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.
• 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 a specific topic area; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to tackle pressing educational needs.
• Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels. 
• 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.  

Follow the Milken Educator Awards tour and use the #MEA3K and #MilkenAward hashtags on: Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards) | X (Milken)| YouTube (MilkenAward) | Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn) | LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn) | TikTok (MilkenAward).

Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information.

About the Milken Educator Awards 
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to elementary and secondary school 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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