Press Releases    All Press Releases

Grafton Teacher's Efforts to Prepare Students for College, Career and Life Leads to $25,000 Milken Educator Award Surprise

Katelyn Gorder earns national recognition for making a lasting impact in her hometown

January 17, 2024

Santa Monica, Calif. — Educators, students and dignitaries were stunned when a visit from North Dakota State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler turned into an exciting celebration at Grafton High School (GHS). With media in tow, Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop revealed a secret: Grafton's very own Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher Katelyn Gorder would be taking home a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

A fun fact about Gorder: She makes FACS fun! The Grafton native and GHS alum, following eight years of teaching in Montana, returned in 2022 and has since made an undeniable impact on the FACS program. She works diligently to prepare students for diverse and exciting futures; teaching them how to navigate finances, housing, personal health, food safety, cooking techniques, and more.

"Katelyn Gorder is showing students what it means to be strong leaders, problem-solvers and collaborators in all avenues of life," said Bishop, who is also a 2001 Virginia Milken Educator. "The skills students take away from Katelyn's classes will serve them well as they begin to explore their adult lives and future endeavors. I could not be prouder to welcome her to our Milken Educator family. Congratulations, Katelyn!"

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. Gorder is the sole North Dakota 2023-24 Milken Educator Award recipient.

"Katelyn Gorder is an exemplar of teaching excellence, and I am so pleased the Milken Family Foundation has agreed to honor her. This comes at a time when we are redoubling our efforts to encourage young people to become teachers, and to provide the support they need to establish a career. This award lifts up the profession of education and acknowledges the indispensable role that classroom teachers play in our society," said Superintendent Baesler.

Several North Dakota Milken Educators joined in today's celebration, including Brittany Larson (ND '18), the first recipient from Grafton Public School District. 

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.

Gorder was completely unaware of her 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 Katelyn Gorder

Returning to Her Roots: As the sole Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) teacher at Grafton High School (GHS) — and one of only a few FACS teachers in the area — Katelyn Gorder's work is instrumental to the success of her students. Gorder began her career in Billings, Montana, where she taught FACS for eight years at Skyview High School. She helped to implement several hands-on learning experiences for students such as a Falcon Fuel Coffee Shop and an Adventure Club — both of which are still operational today. However, the Grafton native and GHS graduate returned in 2022, when she began making the FACS program uniquely her own.

Offering Real-Life Learning Opportunities: An advocate for preparing students for college, career and life, Gorder assists with GHS career exploration events and started a new education course for those interested in pursuing a career as a teacher. Upon completion of this course, students have the option to be paired with a teacher through an Education Cooperative Work Experience to dive deeper into the world of education. Students outside of the district can participate remotely in this class, as well as Gorder's Child Development class, through Northern Red River Interactive Television (NRRITV). FACS classes at GHS are increasingly popular, with students frequently enrolling in Gorder's independent living, nutrition and food preparation, and culinary arts classes — where they are immersed in financial literacy, housing, personal health, food safety, cooking techniques, and more.

Supporting Students and Colleagues: Eager to learn and grow as an educator, Gorder was both a presenter and a facilitator of GHS' fall professional development event. Additionally, she serves as an advisor for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at GHS, where she works with students to compete in events and develop new FACS skills. Last year, several of her 12 FCCLA members attended the district's 2023 Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events competition and the North Dakota State FCCLA Conference.

Extending Her Reach: A familiar face in the Grafton community, Gorder's kindness and patience support students both inside and outside of the classroom. Serving on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) advisory committee, she often brings guest speakers into class, allowing students to network and learn from local leaders and professionals. She also participates in Beautiful Inside and Out (BIO) Girls, a North Dakota nonprofit that works with young girls to promote self-esteem.

Education: Gorder earned her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) from North Dakota State University in 2015 and her master's in curriculum and instruction from Greenville University in 2021.

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 this June, 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.

---