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2004 National Notifications
September 20, 2004
Milken Family Foundation's 18-year tradition surpasses $50 million mark, honoring America's best teachers during National Notifications, October 5-15
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 20, 2004) – As the U.S. presidential election enters its final weeks, the candidates will continue to crisscross the country while stumping for votes in battleground states. At the same time, California businessman Lowell Milken will be conducting a nationwide whistle-stop tour of a different kind… surprising some of America's best teachers with $25,000 cash awards!
Dubbed the "Oscars of Teaching" by Teacher Magazine, the Milken National Educator Awards were created by Lowell Milken in 1985 to celebrate, elevate and activate the highest caliber professionals in our nation’s schools. From October 5-15, 100 unsuspecting K-12 teachers, principals and specialists throughout the U.S. will be surprised with the news of their $25,000 awards—which can be used any way they choose—during emotional, school-wide assemblies attended by state and local officials, students, peers and community leaders.
Providing a first rate education for every child remains one of the most important issues facing our country. According to an April 2004 study conducted by Education Week and the Public Education Network, nearly 60 percent of all Americans say they are more likely to vote for a presidential candidate with public education as the centerpiece of his administration.
But although research shows that the single most important factor in student performance is the quality of the teacher in the classroom, the work of highly effective educators often goes without recognition.
Milken Family Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Lowell Milken created the Milken National Educator Awards to celebrate the efforts of the most outstanding educators the profession has to offer. Under his leadership, the awards have become the largest teacher recognition program in the U.S., by year’s end recognizing 2,077 exceptional educators from across America with over $50 million in cash prizes from the foundation since the program’s inception.
"Improving American education strengthens the vitality of American democracy," said Milken. "By shining a light on the excellence of these 100 educators, and the nearly 2,000 others we have honored over the past 18 years, we hope to show how crucial their efforts are to the goal of providing every child in America with the opportunity for a high quality education."
Unlike most teaching awards, the Milken National Educator Awards have no formal nomination or application process. Instead, educators are considered for this prestigious honor without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s department of education.
Candidates for the Milken National Educator Awards are selected on the basis of numerous criteria, including:
- Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by outstanding instructional practices in the classroom, school and profession;
- Outstanding accomplishments and strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
- Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community at-large.
Recipients are presented with their unrestricted $25,000 award checks at the annual Milken National Education Conference, an all-expenses-paid professional development conference held in Washington, D.C.
They also join the Milken Educator Network, a coalition of more than 2,000 top educators who serve as both expert resources and collaborators to network members as they help cultivate and expand innovative programs in their classrooms, schools and districts. Through such opportunities, these practitioners of high quality education become powerful advocates for it as well.
For more information about the Milken National Educator Awards, including the dates and locations of surprise Notification events held throughout the U.S., please contact the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4775, or visit www.mff.org.