Special education teacher Andrew Franz (NY ’17) was inspired by his mother’s leadership in community fundraising and awareness events: “Little did she know that she was instilling in me the process of taking an idea and making it grow into something bigger than imagined.”
Anna Capobianco (CT ’17) considers meeting the diverse learning needs of all students both a challenge and a necessity: “It can feel Herculean at times, but it is the most important thing teachers can do for their students.”
When Carla Diede (SD ’17) asked students after her surprise Milken Award notification whether they might want to teach someday, hands shot up around the room: “The biggest impact the Award had on my learners was helping them view teaching as a respected and rewarding profession.”
In addition to teaching English, Jennifer Fuller (TX ’17) delivers important lessons about self-worth, empathy, hard work, and the importance of creativity: “I hope my students remember how to keep reaching for their dreams when life gets tough.”
High school principal Debreon Davis (OK ’17) sees meeting the varied learning needs of thousands of students as her biggest challenge: “Keeping kids from flying under the radar is something I work to combat every day.”
Dawn McLain (AR ’17) defines success as never giving up, reaching goals she once thought impossible, and “knowing that I made a difference in the lives of my students.”
Teaching got easier for Allison Felton (MD ’17) when she realized how much her students’ home lives differed from her own background: “I realized that they needed someone to listen to them.”
When students tell Dan Adler (MA ‘17) they’re interested in teaching, his first reaction is unbridled joy: “That means they see something they love in their day-to-day school experience, and my colleagues and I are doing something good for them.”
To keep classic literature relevant to students’ lives, Lauren Hopkins (RI ‘17) includes contemporary songs, young adult literature and discussions of parental pressure in her lessons: “Romeo and Juliet, no longer just characters in a drama, become relatable teenagers fighting to be loved and understood.”
Heidi Albin (KS '17) credits her fifth-grade teacher, Milken Educator Gary Bloemker (CO '94), for passing on his passion for education and influencing her teaching style: “He was the best teacher I ever had, and he showed me how to love school and love students.”
