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All-School Celebration Reveals One Big Surprise for Livingston Parish Teacher Announced Among Nation’s Best with $25,000 Milken Educator Award

Katie Guidry fuels the student-to-educator pipeline in Louisiana one by one

November 13, 2026

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Denham Springs High School staff and students received a well-earned boost from Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley today for their strong efforts to increase student achievement and create an environment for everyone to thrive. Then, an unexpected second guest, Milken Educator Awards Vice President Jennifer Fuller, announced that one educator representative of the outstanding talent at Denham Springs High was going to receive a national honor. In an instant, Katie Guidry’s life was changed with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award! 

The ELA, Bible as Literature, and Educators Rising teacher was blown away as she walked up to accept her unrestricted, oversized $25,000 check in front of cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media. The significance and prestige that come with the Award hit home for Guidry, an advocate for the teaching profession herself. She is Louisiana’s 56th recipient since The Pelican State joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 2001, and the second and final 2026-27 Louisiana recipient. Allison Smith of Lincoln Parish was surprised with the Award yesterday morning at A.E. Phillips Laboratory School. 

“Katie Guidry works tirelessly to provide her students with the resources, support, and mentorship that serve as the foundation for their post-graduate careers,” said Fuller, herself a 2017 Texas Milken Educator. “I’m thrilled her students got to see Katie recognized today – something I can only hope inspires them to join the adventure of teaching. Congratulations, Katie!” 

Along with the financial award, Guidry will join the Milken Educator Network, comprised of more than 3,000 professionals spanning coast-to-coast. The Milken Educator Awards, celebrating 40 Years of Elevating Educators, have no formal applications or nominations. 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.

“Katie Guidry helps students find their path while building the next generation of Louisiana teachers,” said Dr. Brumley. “She reaches beyond her own campus to develop partnerships that give students college credit and a head start on a career before they graduate.” 

The Milken Educator Awards 40th Anniversary Tour will honor up to 30 recipients this school year. Since the Awards’ first presentation in 1987, more than $76 million in individual cash prizes and over $147 million has been 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 Katie Guidry 

An Advocate for Education: Katie Guidry doesn’t just preach teamwork—she creates it. Her work as a 10th grade ELA, ninth through 12th grade Bible as Literature elective, and upper-grade Educators Rising instructor at Denham Springs High School (DSHS) fosters a collaborative atmosphere across Livingston Parish Public Schools. Guidry’s passion for the teaching profession is palpable: she was instrumental in launching the Educators Rising pathway program at DSHS for students interested in pursuing a career in education after graduation. Not only was Guidry the first trained Educators Rising instructor at DSHS, but she was also one of the first in the parish, helping to promote and expand the program far beyond her classroom walls. These Aspiring Educators classes—the Foundations of Education and Multi-Cultural Learning Communities—offer opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience through peer mentoring, classroom observations, and shadow teaching, all recognized by the Louisiana Department of Education. Thanks to a partnership Guidry secured with Southeastern Louisiana University, students can now earn college credit through the program. 

Creating Valuable Opportunities: Guidry’s mentorship of educators across the parish knows no bounds – a virtue rooted in DSHS’ partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET). She shares best practices from her own ELA classroom, such as thematic research writing assignments, exploring different perspectives with VR goggles, and drawing text samples as they are read out loud for comprehension. She is a member of DSHS’ English II professional learning community and schoolwide instructional leadership team in addition to serving as an English curriculum writing team member for the parish. Whether designing professional development for teachers, attending Educators Rising conferences, or presenting at the parish’s Aspiring Educators gala, Guidry’s leadership and support are felt far and wide. 

Uplifting All Students: Guidry founded and sponsors the REACH Club at DSHS, standing for “Respect Everyone And Create Harmony.” The club encourages relationship-building and peer support between special and general education students through events like schoolwide trick-or-treat. She also sponsors DSHS’ Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, and offers the Bible as Literature elective course. 

Education: Guidry earned a Bachelor of Arts in English education from Northwestern State University in 2015. 

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; Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs; and the Milken Educator Collective connects recipients with shared content areas, grade levels, or professional roles. 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 from June 4-6, 2027, in Washington, D.C., where they will network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other leaders, about how to amplify their voices as beacons of excellence in the profession.
• Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels. 

The Milken Educator Award might come to a community near you! Who will be next? Join us as we surprise these remarkable individuals and celebrate their dedication to excellence in education! Follow the tour and use the #MEA40 and #MilkenAward hashtags 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 over four decades of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.

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