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Milken Educator Award Comes to Woodbine, Iowa, to Celebrate Local Principal

Jill Ridder of Woodbine Elementary surprised with national recognition and $25,000

January 22, 2026

Woodbine, Iowa — When Woodbine Elementary School principal Jill Ridder planned today’s schoolwide ceremony, she thought she would be celebrating her students for their recent state test results. Instead, Principal Ridder was surprised to hear her name announced as the nation’s newest Milken Educator Award recipient! Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley was joined by Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow to present Ridder with the honor and an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize Ridder can use however she wishes. 

“Principal Ridder embodies the characteristics of the Milken Educator Award in every facet of her work,” said Dr. Foley, a 1994 Milken Educator Award recipient from Indiana. “Through her deep roots in the community and unwavering commitment to personalized learning, she has helped drive notable gains in student achievement while expanding opportunities that prepare students for success. We are proud to recognize her impact on Woodbine’s classrooms and the community.” 

Ridder is Iowa’s 49th recipient since The Hawkeye State joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1993. She is Iowa’s sole 2025-26 Milken Educator Award recipient and one of 30 outstanding educators across the U.S. being honored with the Award this school year. 

“Like dedicated educators across Iowa, Jill Ridder partners with families and her colleagues each day to meet the needs of every child,” said Director Snow. “She champions high expectations for all students, personalizes learning, and advances evidence-based instruction—and the success of Woodbine Elementary students show it works, with achievement exceeding the state average by double digits. Please join our team in thanking Iowa’s outstanding educators and congratulating Jill on this honor!” 

Today Ridder joins a national network of over 3,000 Milken Educators spanning the Awards’ nearly 40-year history as the nation’s preeminent teacher-recognition program. Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Awards initiative has no formal application or nomination process. Outstanding K-12 educators 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.

This season will reach more than $76 million in individual cash prizes since the Awards’ first presentation in 1987 and over $146 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to broaden their impact and encouraging young, capable people to consider a career in education.  

More About Jill Ridder 

Commitment to Students, Community Yields Results: Jill Ridder has dedicated her career to increasing teacher leadership and preparing students for purposeful, bright futures. As principal of Woodbine Elementary School, Ridder is no stranger to this community. In fact, she’s making a transformative impact on education in her hometown: in addition to the overall growth in reading and math proficiency, over 75% of Woodbine Elementary’s students are performing at least a year above grade level in reading or math. 

Individualized Learning Empowers Student Success: Ridder—previously a fifth grade teacher, preschool teacher, and school-based interventionist—harnesses her diverse experiences to inform her leadership of Woodbine Elementary. Aligning to the district’s priority on personalized, competency-based learning, every Woodbine student has an individualized plan and can study a range of interests, including STEM, dance, culinary arts, 3D printing, and more. The system is supported by PLCs, planning, intervention, and co-teaching incorporated into the school schedule. 

Education Mentor Who Leads by Example: Ridder mentors new staff along with other principals in the area through the district’s principal leadership committee, and directs special education for grades pre-K through 12. She emphasizes collaboration and invests time to attend PLCs and maintain a presence in classrooms. Ridder leads professional development and creates tracking documents for teachers to monitor student growth and institute effective intervention. 

Strong Relationship-Builder: Ridder actively communicates with parents, students, and community members. She helped strengthen the parent teacher organization, is a member of the Building Blocks Academy Board, and serves as the in-school daycare director. She is the familiar voice on the school’s daily announcements and can often be found in the hallways interacting with students. 

Education: Ridder earned a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2009 and a Master of Science in educational leadership from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016. 

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 June 12-14 in Washington, D.C., 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 Milken Educator Awards 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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