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Surprise, Principal McCray! You Are the Next Milken Educator Award Honoree!

Rock Hill school leader receives prestigious national award and $25,000 cash prize

December 09, 2025

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Principal Erica McCray was preparing to celebrate her students and teachers at a schoolwide assembly today for Riverwalk Academy’s recent report card achievements. Yet to everyone’s surprise, that wasn’t all they were celebrating! The assembly culminated with the exciting news that McCray is South Carolina’s newest recipient of the national Milken Educator Award—and a $25,000 cash prize! Dr. Joshua Barnett, representing the Milken Family Foundation as CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, was joined by South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver to present the Award to McCray before a gymnasium of cheering students, educators, dignitaries and media. 

“With vision, heart and leading by example, Principal Erica McCray cultivates a school where students and educators alike are valued, supported and inspired to grow,” said Dr. Barnett. “We commend Erica on her dedication to high-quality instruction, ownership of learning, strong parent-teacher relationships, and whole-child success. Congratulations!” 

McCray is the state’s 65th Milken Educator Award recipient since South Carolina joined the initiative in 1994. 

“Principal McCray embodies the innovation and collaborative spirit powering the South Carolina Surge. Her journey from classroom teacher to literacy coach to principal has shaped a leader who understands what her team needs to help students succeed,” said Superintendent Weaver. “Her work engaging students through project-based learning, empowering teachers to use real-time data, and building meaningful family partnerships is fueling remarkable growth at Riverwalk Academy. Principal McCray is proof positive: great schools start with great leaders.”

The Milken Family Foundation’s 2025-26 tour will honor 30 educators coast to coast—adding to the Milken Educator Network of more than 3,000 professionals nationwide. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken in 1987, the Milken Educator Awards represent America’s preeminent educator recognition initiative, inspiring educators, students and communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession. By the end of this season, more than $76 million in individual financial prizes and more than $146 million will have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall. 

Outstanding educators like McCray are not aware of their candidacy for the Award. Recipients are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved—and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award. 

More About Erica McCray 

Growth from Classroom Teacher to Principal Informs Her Leadership: McCray’s career at Riverwalk Academy has been transformative—for herself and the school. Using her classroom experience to inform instructional leadership, McCray is the definition of a “teacher’s principal.” During COVID, she was instrumental in redirecting the school from a traditional instructional model to prioritizing project-based learning (PBL). With Riverwalk’s partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), McCray utilizes NIET’s educator effectiveness model to support the faculty in this process, which has led to positive growth for educators and learning outcomes for students. 

Student-Led Learning Yields Results: As part of the school’s emphasis on PBL, students take ownership of their learning and participate in exciting community-centered or passion projects. McCray empowers teachers to utilize real-time student data to drive instruction, monitor progress, and work with students in targeted small groups. She mentors colleagues, provides professional development, visits classrooms daily, and provides constructive feedback. Leading by example, McCray took a graduate class alongside several teachers for PBL training. Her efforts have contributed to increasing and maintaining a high teacher retention rate – and she has presented on school culture improvement strategies at the South Carolina Department of Education’s Collective Leadership Institute. Riverwalk also received the Palmetto Silver Award in 2023-24 after McCray and a team of teachers reimagined grade-level writing expectations and benchmarks. 

Community Involvement and Parent Relationships Core to Her Work: McCray maintains excellent rapport with parents and community stakeholders. She hosts parent nights, communicates and collaborates frequently with families, and ensures Riverwalk’s achievements are visible and celebrated in the community. 

Education: McCray earned a Bachelor of Arts in general communication disorders from Winthrop University in 2008, a Master of Education from the University of Phoenix in 2012, and a Master of Educational Leadership in school administration from Gardner-Webb University in 2017. 

The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits 

• The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
• Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs. Milken MeetUps abound across the nation to deepen learning and connection and expand innovation in education.
• The honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14, 2026, where they will network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders, about how to further develop their voice into roles that lead to real change.
• Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.

Follow the tour and use the #MilkenAward hashtag on: YouTube (MilkenAward)| Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward)| X (Milken)| LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn). 

Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information. 

About the Milken Educator Awards: “The Future Belongs to the Educated”
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.

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