Mobile, Ala. – Excitement was in the air at Mary G. Montgomery High School in Mobile this morning as an unsuspecting teacher was given a top national award, the Milken Educator Award. Stephanie Chase LeGrone was awarded the celebrated award at a school wide assembly, disguised as an event to commend the school on student assessment progress and to announce a major education initiative.
The announcement was part of a coast-to-coast tour to reward more than 50 top educators with more than $1.2 million in cash awards. Little did LeGrone know that she would be handed a $25,000 check and presented with the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, the “Education Oscar.”
Presented by Senior Vice President of Milken Educator Awards Dr. Jane Foley and Deputy State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Eddie Johnson, the award honors the exceptional work of educators as a model for the state and nation. The event is part of the Milken Family Foundation’s 23nd annual National Notifications Tour, honoring outstanding educators as 2009 Milken Educator Award recipients and is the nation’s largest teacher recognition program.
“Beyond Ms. LeGrone’s academic talents, she serves as a model to those with whom she comes in contact,” said Mary G. Montgomery High School Principal, George Romano. “It is a rare combination to have a young teacher with such talent as an educator, combined with such understanding moral and ethical principles.” Students, teachers, and staff gathered as students helped Johnson disclose the news that LeGrone would receive an unrestricted $25,000 financial reward and an all-expense-paid trip to the annual Milken National Education Conference next year. LeGrone is Alabama’s second 2009 Milken Educator Award recipient and is a science teacher at Mary G. Montgomery High School.
“Ms. LeGrone’s talent for teaching and encouraging students is evident as we see the large outpouring of support here today,” said Dr. Eddie Johnson. “She is a positive influence for students and teachers, truly deserving this tremendous award.”
Each year, the Milken Family Foundation travels from coast to coast surprising teachers, principals and specialists, who are furthering excellence in education, by providing $25,000 awards during surprise school wide assemblies. This year, Milken will award up to $1.2 million in cash awards to more than 50 educators across the country, marking the 23nd anniversary of the National Notifications Tour. Alabama joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1998 with 25 recipients receiving $625,000 in awards.
Educators are recommended without their knowledge to the Milken Family Foundation by an independent blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s department of education. Awards alternate yearly between elementary and secondary educators. In recognizing these outstanding teachers with $25,000, the Foundation hopes to raise public awareness that high-quality teachers are essential to student achievement. The award was developed to reward, retain and attract the highest quality K-12 teachers.
LeGrone also becomes a part of the Milken Educator Network, a nationwide coalition of top educators who have access to a variety of professional resources to help cultivate and expand innovative programs in their classrooms, schools and districts.
For more information on the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards visit www.mff.org or the Alabama Department of Education’s Web site at www.alsde.edu (click on sections, communication, awards).
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