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Georgia Teacher Wins National Award
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- GaDOE Media Contact: Dana Tofig, dtofig@doe.k12.ga.us, (404) 463-1487 (email only on Monday, October 9).
- To speak with teacher Kristen Drake, please contact Dale Davis, DeKalb County Schools: dale_a_davis@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
October 9, 2006 -- State School Superintendent Kathy Cox gave a DeKalb County third-grade teacher quite a surprise today -- a national award and a big check.
Kristen L. Drake, a teacher at DeKalb's Vanderlyn Elementary School, was named a 2006 Milken Family Foundation National Educator of the Year in a surprise assembly at her school Monday morning.
"Kristen Drake is everything a great teacher should be -- passionate, fun, engaging and, best of all, dedicated to high achievement for all of her students," Superintendent Cox said. "She is very deserving of this award."
As one of two winners from the state, Ms. Drake will attend a national conference of award-winners in April and receives a check for $25,000 that she can spend however she wants. The second 2006 Milken educator for Georgia will be announced later this year.
On Monday, Ms. Drake and the rest of the school thought they were gathering for an assembly to celebrate the school's high academic achievement.
However, as the event went along, it was clear something else was up.
"As a society, we’re quick to recognize greatness in other professions -- MVP awards, Oscars, Grammies, Nobel Prizes," Superintendent Cox said. "But it's kind of odd that the one profession that prepares all those others doesn’t have a really big award. The Milken Family is correcting that."
Other speakers at the event included Richard Sandler, Executive Vice President of the Milken Family Foundation; Gloria Talley, Deputy Superintendent of DeKalb County schools and Charlene Burger, principal of Vanderlyn Elementary School.
The Educator of the Year award was created by the Milken Family to thank and recognize excellent teachers. Two educators from each state are chosen for the award every year. For more information on the Milken awards, visit http://www.milken.com/mea/mea.taf.
Ms. Drake is in her third year of teaching at Vanderlyn and has taught in both public and private schools. She lives in Gwinnett County.
Kristen Drake (2nd from right), a 3rd grade teacher from Vanderlyn Elementary School in DeKalb County, gets a big check from the Milken Family Foundation for being one of Georgia's two National Educators of the Year. Pictured from R to L, Richard Sandler, Executive VP of the Milken Family Foundation, Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox, Ms. Drake and Vanderlyn Elementary principal Charlene Burger.
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