Press Releases    All Press Releases

Beloved Hollister Middle School Teacher Dallas DeWeese Surprised with "Oscar of Teaching" — the $25,000 Milken Educator Award

DeWeese makes history as the first-ever Milken Educator Award recipient in the district

December 19, 2024

Hollister, Mo. — This morning's assembly at Hollister Middle School began as a celebration of the school's charitable accomplishments in the community – and ended with a surprise for an HMS social studies teacher:  Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop announced Dallas DeWeese as the sole Missouri Milken Educator Award recipient for this school year. In front of cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media, DeWeese joined Bishop and Missouri's Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger at the front of the assembly to accept the honor – along with a check with his name on it for $25,000. It was an historic day for DeWeese and the Hollister R-V School District: DeWeese is the first-ever Milken Educator Award recipient from the district and the 55^th in Missouri.

"Dallas DeWeese has woven himself into the fabric of this school and community, leaving a permanent impact on the hearts and lives of every student he has had the opportunity to teach, coach or mentor," said Bishop, herself a Milken Educator from Virginia in 2001. "His enthusiasm for education and his passion to see his students succeed are evident in everything he does, and I am pleased to present him with the Milken Educator Award today."

Today, DeWeese 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.

"We are thrilled to have the Milken Family Foundation recognize one of Missouri's many exceptional teachers with this award," said Dr. Eslinger. "The work that Dallas does every day to care for and educate his students makes a difference not just in that student's life, but the lives of their families and the community as a whole."

Outstanding educators like DeWeese 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 Dallas DeWeese

Collaborative Curriculum Equips Students for Success: By cultivating a collaborative learning environment for his classes, DeWeese implements a holistic approach to education and fosters individualized paths to success for each of his students, equipping them with skills that will serve them well beyond their time at Hollister. DeWeese seamlessly integrates English language arts, science and math into his social studies lessons, creating a multifaceted educational experience and reinforcing concepts across the curriculum. Enriching, engaging activities excite and inspire his students. Students are so eager to join DeWeese's classes that enrollment in the student council nearly quadrupled when he took the helm. Students in this class develop their own student government and civilization, participating in real-world learning activities like the creation of a business plan – complete with a comprehensive proposal, budget, and operations strategy. DeWeese created the Tiger Coffee Shop, giving students valuable skills in customer relations and leadership.

Positive Presence at Hollister Middle School: DeWeese's positive influence extends beyond his classroom and throughout the school where he serves as the leader of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) committee, spearheading a team that analyzes behavior data and identifies trends to help teachers appropriately address issues and implement positive incentives. As a result, HMS has noticed a significant increase in positive behavior referrals and an overall improvement in positive student and school culture.

Caring Community Leader and Student Mentor: DeWeese also heads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at the school, coaches basketball and softball, sits with students at lunch, tutors students outside of class, chairs the assembly focus team, and serves as the seventh grade team leader. Dedicated to continued professional development, DeWeese has presented at the Tri Lakes Summit and district continuing education sessions. 

Education: DeWeese earned a Bachelor of Science in physical education from College of the Ozarks in 2018 and a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction leadership from Evangel University in 2021.

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 in April 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.

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 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.

---