Three Mississippi teachers win Milken Educator Award. See who won the 'Oscars of teaching'
Three Mississippi teachers received the Milken Educator Award in early January 2024. The coveted award grants the winners a $25,000 cash prize.
Anna Katherine Davis, Jennifer Hite and Kristien "Krissy" Long were among the 2023-24 winners representing states across the nation.
The Milken Educator Award began under the Milken Family Foundation as a way to publicly recognize educators creating positive change. The recipients are typically early or mid-career educators. The foundation gave out the first awards in 1987.
This year's recipients, which will total approximately 75 educators, are part of the Milken Family Foundation's "Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator."
Anna Katherine Davis
Davis is a math teacher at Houston High School in Houston (Mississippi). Her Milken award marks the first time an educator in the Chickasaw County School District has received the award.
Davis wears many different hats within the Houston High walls. She serves as the chair of the high school math department, sponsors the homecoming court and senior play. She also coaches the school's archery team, an extracurricular that she brought to the school.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis remained committed to fostering an environment in which her students could learn and grow. She mirrored an in-person classroom by creating a virtual classroom with a smart panel, tablet and laptop so she could give her students feedback in real time.
Jennifer Hite
Hite is a fifth-grade science teacher at Pearl Upper Elementary in Pearl. Her resume includes roles such as student council supervisor, chair of the school's geography bee and state science content and data review committee member.
Hite is also active in local nonprofits, school fundraisers and the Promote the Vote project which encourages students 18 and older to register to vote. She is an active leader within her school and helps shape the curriculum as the science chair.
Kristien 'Krissy' Long
Long is a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Neshoba Central Elementary in Philadelphia (Mississippi). She is dedicated to high standards and blending technology into her lessons. Her YouTube channel helps students and parents better understand lessons taught in the classroom.
Long serves as the school's math chair and organizes weekly Professional Learning Community meetings. She takes teaching beyond the classroom by holding professional development workshops for new and experienced teachers.
Celebrations
Davis, Hite and Long were surprised at their respective schools at assemblies. The teachers thought they were assembled to celebrate the schools' recent ratings — all three schools received an A rating for the 2022-2023 school year.
The awards were presented by Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop and Mississippi Interim State Superintendent of Education Raymond C. Morgigno as a part of the Milken Awards' coast-to-coast tour.
The cash prize is unrestricted, meaning Davis, Hite and Long can use the $25,000 in any way they want.
Davis, Hite and Long will fly to Los Angeles in June 2024 to attend the Milken Educator Awards Forum where they can connect with other recipients, past and present.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Three MS teachers win the 2023-2024 Milken Educator Award
