Milken Conference honors Wisconsin teachers

Wisconsin teachers from schools in Lake Mills and Kimberly received 2005 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards in surprise all-school assemblies last October. On May 18-19, they joined State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster, Milken Foundation officials, and other Milken Award winners from around the country at a conference in Washington, D.C. Julie Cunningham, a chemistry teacher at Lake Mills High School, and Kendra Naef, a family and consumer science teacher at Kimberly High School, were recognized for their exceptional commitment to education (see more details about the 2005 Wisconsin Milken Award winners.)

Julie Cunningham Kendra Naef

The four day Washington conference focused on How Stakeholders Can Support Teacher Quality, with presentations on the role of the private sector, education, government, and teachers themselves in enhancing teacher quality and student achievement. Panel discussions also were held on models of quality and teacher incentive fund opportunities.

The Milken National Educator program is the largest teacher recognition program in the United States, and makes a visible commitment to rewarding and encouraging exceptional educational talent. Burmaster commended the Milken National Educator Award Program for acknowledging the tremendous contribution that educators make to their students, and for inspiring young people to consider education as a career. “Research repeatedly shows that the single most important school-based factor in student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom, so attracting dedicated young people to the profession is vital to Wisconsin’s mission to close the achievement gap and ensure success for every student,” said Burmaster.

Recipients of the Milken Educator Awards are selected on the basis of numerous criteria, including exceptional educational talent as demonstrated by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school; exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom that provide models of excellence for the profession; strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and an engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues, and the community.

Each Milken educator will receive a $25,000 award which can be used in any way they choose. In addition to the cash award and the Washington, D. C. professional development conference, Milken educators are invited to join the Milken Educator Network, a coalition of top educators who have access to a variety of expert resources to help cultivate and expand innovative programs in their classrooms, schools, and districts. For more information, call (310) 570-4800 or visit the Milken Family Foundation website at http://www.mff.org.

Last updated on 5/22/2006