Articles
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Spotlight: Leslie McIntosh (NE '23)
July 24, 2024Milken Educator Leslie McIntosh is a hometown hero in Syracuse, Nebraska, where she grew up, attended school and saw her own mother serve the community as an educator. Now, an English and language arts teacher at Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Middle School, she, too, is serving the community that raised her. “I had many wonderful teachers in my childhood. In fact, I have had the privilege to work with many of them today because I came back to my hometown to live and raise my children.”
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Spotlight: Alex Lahasky (KS '23)
July 23, 2024Kansas social studies teacher Alex Lahasky hopes his students continue to strive to be kind, thoughtful and civic-minded while applying the critical thinking, perspective-taking and empathy skills he models in his classroom. In his AP U.S. history course, he replaced traditional summative assessments with oral presentations on contemporary issues to enhance students' communication and practical interview skills. “Our hope is that, by encouraging the connections between past and present, our students will be well-equipped to inherit our democracy as informed voters—voters capable of drawing on the wisdom of the past while forging our future.”
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Spotlight: Krissy Long (MS '23)
July 19, 2024Mississippi Milken Educator Krissy Long is committed to creating a safe space in her classroom while also fostering self-confidence, growth and accountability in her students. Her hands-on approach to teaching allows students to make real-world connections to their math and science lessons. With the help of reading materials created by her small business, The Local Authority, students across Mississippi have the resources to apply practical math concepts in their own lives.
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Spotlight: Rory Inouye (HI '23)
July 18, 2024Inspired by his parents who both served as educators in their local community, Rory Inouye witnessed the impact teachers had on their students and the meaningful relationships that formed as a result. Now a Milken Award recipient, he hopes to motivate young people to pursue education as a career. He created a scholarship using part of his Award money to help Waiakea High School seniors pursue their dreams of becoming educators. “Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions anyone could get into. It is challenging and stressful, but at the end of the day, the impact you are making is undeniable.”
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Spotlight: Jacob Eitzen (NE '23)
July 11, 2024Nebraska Milken Educator Jacob Eitzen understands the importance of connecting with his students on a personal level. In his math classroom, he utilizes topics that both he and his students enjoy, making complex lessons easier to master. "Don’t be afraid to share yourself with your students. I’ve found that students are much more willing to learn and go further in the classroom if they can relate to you in some way.”
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Spotlight: Korri Cunningham (AL '23)
July 9, 2024From an early age, Korri Cunningham grew up believing educators were superheroes who inspired her love for learning. Now, a teacher herself, she recalls the first year her own students made her feel the same. As her school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) coordinator, Cunningham builds strong relationships with her students and inspires a curiosity for learning about diverse global experiences.
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Reactions and Takeaways from the 2024 MEA Forum
June 28, 2024Milken Educators share the moments and ideas that inspired them at the 2024 MEA Forum: Unleashing Educator Leadership.
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Spotlight: Shelley Terry (MA '23)
June 26, 2024Inspired by her high school English teachers, Shelley Terry found her calling to teach English and Language Arts through stories like The Great Gatsby and Shakespeare. Now as a teacher herself, Terry fosters a love for reading and literature in her classroom using the same stories her teachers once shared with her as a student.
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Spotlight: Jacob Ball (KY '23)
June 4, 2024From his roots in rural Kentucky to his innovative approach to agricultural education, Jacob Ball's story is one of dedication, empowerment, and the transformative power of teaching. His connection to the classroom and his students at Carter G. Woodson Academy, where he pioneered the agriculture program, is fueled by knowing he is a part of something bigger. "I am not preparing students for a test; I see teaching agriculture as my calling to train and prepare the next generation of leaders who will feed the world."
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Spotlight: Janna Hamrick (WV '23)
May 28, 2024Janna Hamrick (WV '23), who teaches fifth grade math at Rock Branch Elementary School in Nitro, struggled with reading in elementary school. The influence of a few special role models, including her first grade teacher Mrs. Bennett, inspired her choice to teach. “Without her drive and passion for education and helping her students, I’m not sure where I would be now,” she says. “She helped me recognize my weaknesses, but never let them define who I was as a person.”