News Release
October 7, 2004
Schenck Elementary School Teacher One Of Two In Colorado Presented With $25,000 Milken National Educator Award
Schenck Elementary School Teacher Diane Palmer was surprised during a school-wide assembly earlier today (Thursday, Oct. 7) with a $25,000 Milken National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation.
Palmer is one of only two recipients this year in Colorado and joins the ranks of 74 Colorado teachers and 2,077 teachers nationwide who have received the award since 1987.
"This award is representative of the thousands of qualified teachers in Denver," Foundation Chairman Lowell Milken told students at the assembly.
The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards provide recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 each to exceptional elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and other specialists who are furthering excellence in the nation's schools. This year, a total of $2.5 million in awards will be presented to some of America's finest K-12 educators.
From October 5 through 15, 100 exceptional educators - considered without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state's department of education - will be surprised with the news of their $25,000 awards, which they can use in any way they choose. These announcements are made during emotional assemblies held at each recipient's school, and are attended by students, peers, local and state officials, and the media.
"I was in shock," said Diane Palmer, who gave her husband the news with a telephone call her classroom after the assembly. She told her husband: "I just thought it [the assembly] was a bunch of important people coming to a good school. I had no idea. This is huge. I feel honored."
The Milken Family Foundation's 18-year tradition surpasses $50 million mark this year. Milken Family Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder Lowell Milken created the Milken National Educator Awards to celebrate the efforts of the most outstanding educators the profession has to offer. Under his leadership, the awards have become the largest teacher recognition program in the U.S., by year's end recognizing 2,077 exceptional educators from across America with over $50 million in cash prizes from the foundation since the program's inception.
"Improving American education strengthens the vitality of American democracy," said Milken. "By shining a light on the excellence of these 100 educators, and the nearly 2,000 others we have honored over the past 18 years, we hope to show how crucial their efforts are to the goal of providing every child in America with the opportunity for a high quality education."
Unlike most teaching awards, the Milken National Educator Awards have no formal nomination or application process. Instead, educators are recommended for this prestigious honor without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state's department of education.
Candidates for the Milken National Educator Awards are selected on the basis of numerous criteria, including:
- Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by outstanding instructional practices in the classroom, school and profession;
- Outstanding accomplishments and strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership; and
- Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community at-large.
Recipients are presented with their unrestricted $25,000 award checks at the annual Milken National Education Conference, an all-expenses-paid professional development conference held in Washington, D.C.
They also join the Milken Educator Network, a coalition of more than 2,000 top educators who serve as both expert resources and collaborators to network members as they help cultivate and expand innovative programs in their classrooms, schools and districts. Through such opportunities, these practitioners of high quality education become powerful advocates for it as well.
For more information, contact Mary Anne Hoffman, 303-908-4855 or visit www.mff.org.