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Award Notification:  Kimberly Freeman (SC '15)

Latin Teacher Kimberly Freeman Wins a 2015-16 Milken Award for South Carolina

Why is it important for kids to study other languages? Latin teacher Kimberly Freeman, chair of the world language department at Lexington Middle School, says it helps shape students into global leaders. "Our world is shrinking," she told the crowded gym at her surprise Milken Educator Award notification. "They're going to do business on the other side of the world. They're going to get to know incredible young people like themselves all over the place. And they're going to be able to do that because they'll understand other cultures and know how to network with people who are different from them, and also because of their language skills."

Before Freeman, Lexington Middle's Latin program was struggling. Now enrollment is high and students are working at levels far beyond their years. Freeman's students routinely beat the national average on the National Latin Exam, outperforming high school students in world language courses. The school's Latin academic team took first place at South Carolina's Certamen Competition in spring 2014.

Winning the Milken Award as a teacher at Lexington Middle held special meaning for Freeman, a Lexington native and alumna of the school.