Spotlight: Bonnie Pollock (AR '24)

Arkansas Milken Educator Bonnie Pollock (AR ‘24) is a sixth grade English language arts, reading, and social studies teacher at Old High Middle School in Bentonville. Pollock turns everyday lessons into unforgettable experiences by bringing subjects to life with hands-on projects. Beyond the classroom, Pollock mentors aspiring teachers, presents at professional development conferences, and actively supports her school’s growth through leadership roles. Pollock received a Milken Educator Award on March 5, 2025.

Milken Family Foundation: How did you feel at your Milken Educator Award notification?

The Award came as a complete surprise! I walked into what I thought was just an assembly about a new cellphone policy and left with an Award and a check for $25,000. As the ceremony progressed, the suspense definitely built, and I was working hard to determine which of our many amazing, deserving teachers was being described for this honor. I’m glad my administrator had the forethought to have the whole assembly recorded because I don’t remember much that happened immediately after my name was announced.

MFF: How did students respond to your Milken Award?

The students were very excited to celebrate alongside all of our staff members. I think that having students witnessing the surprise enhanced my own enthusiasm; I’m so used to being their cheerleader, and they were beyond thrilled to swap roles for this day. A few of the students saw or heard themselves on the news or in other publications because of the announcement and were pretty excited to be just as “famous” as I am.

MFF: What made you want to pursue a career in education?

I had a phenomenal fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Sandy Brooks, at Northpoint Elementary School, who invested in me and lifted me up at a time where I was so awkward and trying to figure out what was important to me. She let me make mistakes and change my mind during the learning process, resulting in a huge boost to my confidence.

My parents were also incredibly supportive and involved in all things related to education. From book reports in elementary school to building a one-of-a-kind instrument in high school physics, my whole family encouraged deep thinking and worked to expand my knowledge base— covering all content areas, musical endeavors, and even how to safely use power tools for excessively complex class projects.

MFF: How do you use hands-on projects to make English language arts and social studies engaging for your sixth graders?

As much as possible, I use interactive, student-centered projects that allow for the combination of content knowledge, student imagination and creativity, and real-world application.

In social studies, I worked to gamify most units in order to offer role-playing or simulation experiences that required student collaboration throughout the learning. For example, when learning about Ancient Greece, students were sorted into Polis groups and completed a series of tasks to earn Polis Points that tied directly to content mastery and 21st century skills. Some luck was introduced with fate cards, and we even connected learning to pop culture by creating jumbo “friendship bracelets” representing their Polis group and identities.

Our middle school students typically enjoy reading, so I’ve been able to incorporate arts and technology into class to push students’ thinking. We’ve created art using only text evidence, woven bookmarks to learn about the Native American culture introduced in a novel, and filmed commercials about fictional places to incorporate vocabulary skills and practice connotation.

My approach to writing has been to design projects where students can seek publication with local organizations or with other real-world connections. My students have won prize packages and money for submissions to various contests.Knowing they have a real audience has significantly increased student interest in the writing process.  

MFF: What strategies do you find most effective when mentoring aspiring teachers?

Honestly, I think one of the most effective strategies with aspiring teachers is to model authenticity, vulnerability, and to reflect upon challenges with the intern. As a mentor teacher, I’m still learning myself, so clarifying that I don’t have all (or sometimes any) of the answers feels approachable and comforting to anyone new to the profession or with their own teacher struggles.

MFF: What does “success” look like for you and your students in life?

This is a hard question, because my personal thoughts and practices may not necessarily match with how student success is measured by our educational system. For me, student success can’t be measured by a single test score; it’s measured by students’ curiosity, compassion and courage to take on a challenge without letting the mere idea of failure or the unknown hold them back. This, like much of the growth teachers witness in the classroom, can’t be measured with a test and maybe can’t even be measured during the academic year a student is rostered to me. Instead, this success is achieved when the resilience learned at school can be applied beyond the classroom, or to make a positive change for others.

MFF: Who are your role models in education?

This answer sounds a little cheesy, but my students are some of my biggest role models. They’ve challenged my thinking, pushed me to learn more about the profession, introduced me to diverse perspectives, and have persevered through academic and personal issues. They constantly remind me that teaching is a two-way, reciprocal relationship, and I’m always learning with them.

MFF: How do you hope to be remembered by your students?

I hope my students remember my classroom as a space where they felt valued and free to make mistakes. I hope that my students remember me as someone who fiercely believed in them,even when they didn’t quite believe in themselves, who strived to fill the room with joy and make learning fun!