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Indianapolis Principal Kendra Randle Earns $25,000 Milken Educator Award

Randle builds community and a culture of growth at Adelante Schools' Emma Donnan Campus

November 08, 2023

Santa Monica, Calif. — A visit by Indiana Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner to discuss literacy turned into one, big S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E for Kendra Randle, executive principal of Adelante Schools' Emman Donnan Campus. Before cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media, Randle was announced as Indiana's newest recipient of the Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 cash prize that she can use however she wishes.  

Dr. Jenner joined Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley, who traveled from California to present Randle with the prestigious Award. Bestowed by the Milken Family Foundation, the Award honors outstanding K-12 educators for their excellence and leadership in the profession.

"Kendra Randle is a model instructional leader," said Dr. Foley, who is also a 1994 Milken Educator from Indiana. "She holds high expectations for herself, her staff and her students while creating a warm, nurturing environment for everyone to grow. It is evident that Kendra has made an indelible impact on Adelante Schools, and I look forward to the contributions she will bring to our national Milken Educator Network."

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.

"An exemplary educator and school leader, Kendra Randle is laser-focused on making data-informed decisions to move the needle for students at Emma Donnan," said Dr. Jenner. "With a focus on science of reading to increase growth in foundational literacy and using family engagement to raise the student attendance rate, Ms. Randle is committed to ensuring that her students are in school and receiving instruction that will make a difference for them now and in the future."

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 Kendra Randle

Commitment to Instructional Excellence: Kendra Randle is a champion for education, both for students and herself. A former classroom teacher, Randle has worked her way through various administrative positions as a founding elementary dean, principal fellow and elementary principal. Now, Randle serves as the executive principal at Adelante Schools' Emma Donnan Campus in Indianapolis, where her expertise and insight of practices both inside and outside of the classroom benefit all students. She leads by example and has been known to step in to teach classes during school vacancies, and supports classroom teachers by modeling best practices and conducting meaningful observations and evaluations. Working alongside the director of literacy, Randle helped implement a new change plan for elementary students to increase growth in foundational literacy. Using student data, the plan targeted specific focus areas, incorporating the use of high-quality curriculum for K-3 students, while providing teachers with opportunities to receive feedback on their instructional strategies in planning and data meetings.

Building a Positive School Culture: Randle leads "Meeting of the Minds" weekly, contributing to a positive school culture by recognizing achievements and bringing the K-6 population together on a constant basis. She holds herself and others to high expectations, while respectfully maintaining a clear direction and position for schoolwide growth. Randle also coordinates monthly family council meetings, giving parents the opportunity to become active members of the school community. Her work has paved the way for several professional development opportunities, as she was chosen for the yearlong Relay Graduate School of Education's National Principal Academy Fellowship and participated in the school's Leverage Leadership Institute. 

Model Leadership in the Community at Large: A leader in her school and local communities, Randle is committed to building strong relationships and serving the whole child. She works to break down barriers for students of color and opens doors through her work with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. – Alpha Mu Omega Chapter. Local community theatre also benefits from Randle's participation, as she played "Nettie" in an all-Black production of "The Color Purple." 

Education: Randle earned a Bachelor of Arts in teaching, elementary education, from Kentucky State University in 2011, and a Master of Arts in education from Union University in 2013. 

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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