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Agricultural Science Teacher Honored with National $25,000 Milken Educator Award in Madison

Morgan County High School's Rachel Kinsaul is connecting agriculture science and community service to the classroom

March 04, 2025

Santa Monica, Calif. — Today's all-school assembly at Morgan County High School carried a "sweet" surprise fit for a Georgia … "teach"! High school agricultural science teacher Rachel Kinsaul never imagined the visit from Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods would end with her becoming a 2024-25 Georgia Milken Educator Award recipient. 

In front of cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media, Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop presented Kinsaul with Georgia's 2024-25 Milken Educator Award and an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Kinsaul is the first-ever recipient in Morgan County Charter Schools history and the 87^th recipient since Georgia joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1990. 

"Rachel Kinsaul's deep knowledge and personal experiences in agricultural science are the driving force behind the hands-on, industry-relevant learning opportunities she provides to students," said Bishop, who is also a 2001 Virginia Milken Educator. "Whether visiting farms, tending to their own livestock, or crafting floral arrangements for the community, Rachel's students are well-prepared to become agriculture's future leaders. Keep up the great work, Rachel, and welcome to the Milken Educator family." 

Today Kinsaul 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. 

"Rachel Kinsaul is the definition of a dedicated educator—someone who goes above and beyond to provide real-world, hands-on learning experiences for her students," State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. "Whether she's driving a bus full of students to local farms, leading state and national FFA competitors, or spearheading innovative programs, she is constantly finding new ways to engage, inspire, and prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders. Her passion for agriculture and education is evident in everything she does, and her impact extends far beyond the classroom—into the community, the industry, and the future of her students." 

Outstanding educators like Kinsaul 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 Rachel Kinsaul 

Providing Exciting, Industry-Specific Experiences: On any given day in Madison, Georgia, it's easy to spot Morgan County High School agricultural science teacher Rachel Kinsaul – she's driving a bus full of students around visiting working farms throughout the community – an activity she earned her CDL license to do. Kinsaul provides real-life, hands-on learning experiences for her agriculture students, whether it be their dairy farm visits, mock wedding floral design projects, or Future Farmers of America (FFA) competitions. Growing up on a beef cattle farm with roots in high school rodeo, Kinsaul draws from her experiences to deliver relevant instruction for students pursuing a degree or career in agriculture. By creating a floral design class, she helped grow the agriculture program's female population significantly while engaging students and raising funds for the class through her Floral Arrangement of the Month (FAM) subscription service. As a class, students arrange and deliver a monthly floral arrangement to those with the FAM subscription – partnering with the school's special education program. Kinsaul also works with students to develop their agriculture knowledge and skillsets outside of the classroom as the school's FFA sponsor, leading students to compete and place at state and national competitions. 

Furthering Agriculture Education: Kinsaul shines in sharing her knowledge and experiences with other educators. She mentors student teachers and regularly presents about effective instructional strategies throughout the state. With a knack for fundraising, Kinsaul led the charge to build the school's agriculture barn, known officially as The Morgan Agricultural Learning Lab, working with various community groups to raise $166,000 toward the project. The barn allows students to advance their learning with hands-on experiences, such as raising livestock. 

Building Service-Oriented Leaders: Strengthening her students' community connections, Kinsaul began Sophomore Service Day, involving students in a number of community service projects each year. 

Education: Kinsaul is a two-time graduate of the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, earning her Bachelor of Science in agriculture – animal science in 2009 and a Master of Science in agricultural leadership, education, and communication in 2011. 

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. 

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.

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