Press Releases    All Press Releases

Michigan Educator Honored with “Oscar of Teaching” for Creativity in the Classroom

Middle school teacher Stephanie Johnson surprised with $25,000 Milken Educator Award

February 26, 2026

LEROY, Mich. — What started with a special visit from Michigan Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Sue Carnell turned into an exciting announcement Pine River Middle School (PRMS) teacher Stephanie Johnson will never forget: she is Michigan’s Milken Educator Award recipient for 2025-26! Milken Educator Awards Vice President Jennifer Fuller traveled from California to deliver the news to the all-school assembly of visiting dignitaries, students, colleagues and media, who filled the room with applause as Johnson accepted her Award and an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. 

“Stephanie Johnson’s unwavering dedication to everything she does at Pine River Middle School highlights the depth of her commitment to her students, colleagues and this community,” said Fuller, herself a 2017 Texas Milken Educator. “Her innovative curriculum, focus on data, and involvement in school leadership advance excellence and inspire students to take charge of their learning. Welcome to the Milken Educator Network, Stephanie!” 

Johnson, a seventh grade ELA teacher at PRMS, is Michigan’s 93rd recipient since The Great Lakes State joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1990. 

“I am proud that Stephanie Johnson is representing Michigan’s outstanding educators as a winner of a Milken Educator Award,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Glenn Maleyko. “I enjoyed learning about her dedication to putting her Students First, her creativity in teaching English language arts, and her reputation for being one of the last people to leave school events. She is very deserving of national recognition.”

Today Johnson 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 Stephanie Johnson 

Creativity in the Classroom Inspires Students: In her seventh grade English language arts classroom at PRMS, Johnson creates a calm, structured, and student-centered environment where learners thrive. Known for her high expectations and engaging instruction, she meets with students individually during lunch to mentor them, set goals, and review progress using data-driven instruction. Her creative lessons, like the Edgar Allan Poe debate and Holocaust book study, blend academic rigor with real-world connections. She dresses as historical figures, uses multimedia to deepen understanding, and proudly displays student work to inspire ownership and engagement.

Data-Driven Instruction Leads to Student Success: Johnson’s classroom results speak for themselves: her students consistently exceed growth targets, with 99.47% meeting ELA growth goals. After identifying a gap in informational literacy at her school, she created a class to address it, leading to steady improvement across test scores in sixth and seventh grade.

Leadership and Mentorship Impact School and Community: Her leadership extends beyond the classroom. Johnson serves on the School Improvement Team, School Leadership Team, and District Improvement Team. She is also the seventh grade lead, department chair, and a mentor for new teachers. She secured funding to bring powerful literature into her classroom for her Holocaust teaching, culminating in a field trip to the Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills.

Committed to Pine River Students and Community: Johnson lives in the Pine River community, where her children also attend school. She is deeply invested in building strong family-school connections and regularly communicates with parents to engage them in their child’s learning. A constant presence at school events, she is known for being one of the last to leave and always willing to lend a hand.

Education: A graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, Johnson earned a Bachelor of Arts in English education in 2011 and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT): K-12 Literacy Specialist degree in 2021.

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.

---