Plymouth North teacher wins prestigious award. It comes with a big cash prize

David R. Smith, The Patriot Ledger
Updated ·2 min read

PLYMOUTH − A Plymouth North High School teacher ended her work week $25,000 richer.

English and language arts teacher Michelle “Shelley” Terry didn’t win the lottery or any other game of chance. Her win was a result of her professional skills and students' and colleagues' appreciation for her work.

Terry was presented with a Milken Educator Award and its $25,000 prize at a surprise schoolwide assembly Friday. She is allowed to use the money however she pleases.

"This is the most awkward moment of my entire life," the visibly surprised and choked-up teacher said as she took her place behind the microphone after her award was announced. "I have no idea how this happened."

Plymouth North High School English teacher Michelle "Shelley" Terry learns she is a winner of the Milken Education Award from the Milken Family Foundation during a surprise schoolwide assembly Friday, Oct. 20. The award comes with an unrestricted $25,000 prize.
Plymouth North High School English teacher Michelle "Shelley" Terry learns she is a winner of the Milken Education Award from the Milken Family Foundation during a surprise schoolwide assembly Friday, Oct. 20. The award comes with an unrestricted $25,000 prize.

What is the Milken Education Award all about?

The award “honors exceptional educators across the country for their excellence and innovation in their fields,” according to the Milken Education Foundation, which has sponsored the award since 1987.

The foundation will honor up to 75 recipients across the country this school year.

Terry received a bachelor's degree in English teaching and justice studies from the University of New Hampshire in 2006 and a master's degree in teaching English from Bridgewater State College in 2011.

She is the second and final Massachusetts Milken Educator to be honored for the 2023-24 school year. She joins Principal Andrew Rebello, of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River.

Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley and state Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley presented the award to Terry, the first recipient from the Plymouth Public Schools.

“Many Plymouth North High graduates can trace their success in English-related careers right back to Shelley Terry’s classroom,” said Foley, a 1994 award winner from Indiana. “That is because in every endeavor she pursues, Shelley makes her message abundantly clear: Language is not only a passion, but also a way of life."

Foley said that beyond the classroom, Terry puts the same enthusiasm into leadership at the school and district levels and through mentoring other teachers.

“I am pleased to welcome her into our vast Milken Educator Network, where she will have a platform to broaden her impact,” Foley said.

A guessing game at Plymouth North High School

The reason for the assembly was somewhat of a mystery to students and teachers, Terry said.

"I think the thing that's great about this award is how amazing these educators are for the school," she said. "All day today people have been running down the hallways wondering what this could be about, and the best part is that every person had so many different names to list, and I think that really testifies to the hard work that every single teacher does at this school."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Plymouth North teacher Terry wins Milken Education Award, cash prize