2021 Milken Educator Award Winner - John Rosenbaum
In a surprise assembly on March 29, 2022, John Rosenbaum, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Segue Institute for Learning, received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for his unique approach to teaching: bringing learning to life through educational, creative experiences his students will remember for a lifetime.
Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley and Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green surprised Rosenbaum with the national honor, which includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Rosenbaum will join a national network of more than 2,800 Milken educators and education leaders across the U.S.
Here the spotlight ceremony where it happened and here is his reaction to the award.
The Milken Educator Awards program provides recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary- and secondary-school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in American schools. This year, the Milken Family Foundation will honor up to 60 educators, and John Rosenbaum is one of the 2 Milken Educator Award winners from Rhode Island.
Congratulations to all educators at Segue Institute for Learning, particularly to John Rosenbaum, on your commitment to great teaching and learning.
News announcements and articles:
2020 Milken Educator Award Winner - Nancie Lawrence
In a surprise assembly on March 29, 2022, Nancie Lawrence, a reading specialist at Steere Farm Elementary School, received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for her work creating welcoming, rewarding environments for her students to learn. Lawrence, who was formerly a third-grade teacher at the school, challenges students to think deeply and work hard for results. Her goal is to hold students to rigorous standards while creating a nurturing environment to learn, and her methods deliver. Her students’ overall ELA proficiency rate on the 2019 state exams was 53 percent, compared with 33 percent for the state and 30 percent for the Burrillville district.
Here is the spotlight ceremony where it happened and here is her interview to the award.
The Milken Educator Awards program provides recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary- and secondary-school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in American schools. Lawrence is among more than 60 educators nationwide to receive the recognition during the 2021-2022 school year and only one of two recipients in Rhode Island.
Congratulations to all educators at Steere Farm Elementary, particularly to Nancie Lawrence, on your commitment to great teaching and learning.
News announcements and articles:
2019 Milken Educator Award Winner - Jennifer Paolantonio
On the morning of January 15, 2020, special education teacher Jennifer Paolantonio (RI '19) got the surprise of a lifetime at Ponaganset High School in North Scituate, Rhode Island when she was presented with a Milken Educator Award by CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching Dr. Candice McQueen and Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green.
Here the spotlight ceremony where it happened and here is her reaction to the award.
The award, from the Milken Family Foundation, carries an unrestricted cash award of $25,000.
The Milken Educator Awards program provides recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary- and secondary-school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in American schools. This year, the Milken Family Foundation will honor up to 40 educators, and Jennifer Paolantonio is the only Milken Educator Award winner from Rhode Island.
Congratulations to all educators at Ponaganset High School, particularly to Jennifer Paolantonio, on your commitment to great teaching and learning.
News announcements and articles:
2018 Milken Educator Award Winner - Michelle Johnson
Third-grade ESL teacher Michelle Johnson (RI '18) got the surprise of a lifetime this morning at Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School in Providence, Rhode Island. "I'm at a loss for words, and everyone who knows me knows that NEVER happens—this is crazy!" said Michelle when Dr. Jane Foley, senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards, handed her the microphone. Local and state dignitaries were on hand to congratulate Rhode Island's newest Milken Educator, including Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Dr. Ken Wagner and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza.
At the end of every school year, Ms. Johnson throws a party for students and families. Over pizza and juice, pupils and their parents watch a celebratory slideshow and pore over folders of drawings, papers and projects. The teacher leads a sheltered-instruction class of English language learners, so the room buzzes with conversation in at least eight different languages. She celebrates every student’s growth, no matter the starting point, and children make great strides in her classroom: While 100% of her 26 students began last year below grade level on Lexia Reading assessments, all reached grade-level benchmarks by the end of the year, and 40% scored even higher.
The award, from the Milken Family Foundation, carries an unrestricted cash award of $25,000.
The Milken Educator Awards program provides recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary- and secondary-school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in American schools. This year, the Milken Family Foundation will honor up to 45 educators.
Congratulations to all educators at Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School, particularly to Michelle Johnson, on your commitment to great teaching and learning.
News announcements and articles:
2017 Milken Educator Award Winner - Lauren Hopkins
In a surprise ceremony on October 26, 2017 at her school, Lauren Hopkins, English teacher and literacy specialist at Coventry High School in Coventry, was named the Rhode Island winner of a 2017 Milken Educator Award. The award, from the Milken Family Foundation, carries an unrestricted cash award of $25,000.
The Milken Educator Awards program provides recognition and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to exceptional elementary- and secondary-school teachers, principals, and specialists who are furthering excellence in American schools. This year, the Milken Family Foundation will honor up to 45 educators.
Congratulations to all educators at Coventry High School, particularly to Lauren Hopkins, on your commitment to great teaching and learning.
News announcements and articles:
Past Recipients of the Milken Educator Award
| YEAR |
NAME |
SCHOOL/DISTRICT* |
| 2021 |
John Rosenbaum |
Segue Institute for Learning (Burrillville) |
| 2020 |
Nancie Lawrence |
Steere Farm Elementary |
| 2019 |
Jennifer Paolantonio |
Ponaganset High School (Foster-Glocester) |
| 2018 |
Michelle Johnson |
Mary E. Fogarty Elementary School (Providence) |
| 2017 |
Lauren Hopkins |
Coventry High School (Coventry) |
| 2016 |
Emily Caldarelli |
Paul Cuffee Charter School |
| 2015 |
Kendra Borden |
Pawtucket |
|
2014 |
Erin Quinlan |
Foster |
|
2013 |
Marielle Emet |
Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy |
|
2012 |
Yanaiza Gallant |
Providence |
|
2011
|
Michael J. Lobdell
|
Warwick
|
|
2010
|
Dale Blaess
|
Newport
|
|
2009
|
Jaime Crowley
|
Bristol-Warren
|
|
2008
|
Jennifer Theroux
|
Barrington
|
|
2007
|
Janine Napolitano
|
North Providence
|
|
2006
|
Amy Dufault Thompson
|
Pawtucket
|
|
|
Kathleen Moffit
|
Chariho
|
|
2005
|
Diana Petrosinelli
|
Cranston
|
|
|
Andrew Wallace
|
Exeter-West Greenwich
|
|
2004
|
Susan Toohey Kaye
|
Coventry
|
|
|
Katherine Sharkey
|
Warwick
|
|
2003
|
Charles Myers, Jr.
|
Woonsocket
|
|
|
Mary Ann Guerin
|
Cumberland
|
|
2002
|
Stephanie Blackburn
|
Westerly
|
|
|
Susan L. Caputo
|
Smithfield
|
|
2001
|
Peter J. McLaren
|
East Greenwich
|
|
|
Ulysses S. Gallman, III
|
Narragansett
|
|
2000
|
Barbara Ashby
|
Providence
|
|
|
Judyith Rowe
|
Bristol Warren
|
|
|
Mariann Hayward
|
South Kingstown
|
|
1999
|
Crandall Dimock
|
South Kingstown
|
|
|
Denise Frederick
|
North Kingstown
|
|
|
Richard Gannon
|
Warwick
|
|
|
Geri McCarthy
|
Barrington
|
|
1998
|
Linda Bello
|
Cranston
|
|
|
Mary Lou Harrison
|
Scituate
|
|
|
Kathleen Ward Brown
|
Narragansett
|
|
|
Barry Ricci
|
Coventry
|
|
1997
|
Michael Barnes
|
Foster-Glocester
|
|
|
Mary Canole
|
Newport
|
|
|
Robert Miller
|
Scituate
|
|
|
MaryKay Schnare
|
Providence
|
|
1996
|
Carol Glanville
|
Bristol Warren
|
|
|
Ginny Kircanski
|
Pawtucket
|
|
|
Ralph Perry
|
Middletown
|
|
1995
|
Donna Della Porta
|
Coventry
|
|
|
Ted Hersey
|
Scituate
|
|
|
Edward Lemoi
|
Cranston
|
|
|
Joseph Militello
|
East Greenwich
|
|
|
Ann OGrady
|
East Greenwich
|
|
1994
|
Henry DeVona
|
Johnston
|
|
|
Linda Filomeno
|
Providence
|
|
|
Rosemarie Kraeger
|
Middletown
|
|
|
Joseph Pasonelli
|
Cranston
|
|
|
Margaret Swann
|
West Warwick
|
|
1993
|
Howard Boyaz
|
|
|
|
Leland Brown
|
Newport
|
|
|
Carole Harmon
|
Providence
|
|
|
Ann Kachanis
|
Davies Career and Technical High School
|
|
|
Frederick Pasquariello
|
|
|
|
Kris Whitford-Bell
|
South Kingstown
|
|
1992
|
David Capaldi
|
|
|
|
Patricia Jarvis
|
Woonsocket
|
|
|
Sandra Lamb
|
|
|
|
Joyce Stevos
|
Providence
|
|
|
Eric Wertheimer
|
|
|
|
Judith Sweeney
|
|
|
1991
|
Jorge Alverez
|
Providence
|
|
|
Leslie Bettencourt
|
Lincoln
|
|
|
Judith Leonard
|
|
|
|
David Neves
|
Scituate
|
|
|
Robert Wallace
|
North Smithfield
|
|
|
Darlene Walsh
|
Cranston
|
|
1990
|
Alfred Belasco
|
Smithfield |
|
|
Jeanne Dawson
|
Warwick
|
|
|
Cheryl Fisher-Allen
|
Providence
|
|
|
Norma Garnett
|
|
|
|
Paul Mello
|
Middletown
|
|
|
Robert Smith
|
|
*When Available
Milken Educators of Rhode Island
The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards program provides public recognition and financial rewards to teachers, principals, and other education professionals who are furthering excellence in education.
Here is a video montage featuring some of Rhode Island's Milken award winners - 30 years of Milken Educator Award Surprises: Rhode Island
The goals of the program are:
- to celebrate and reward educators making a sustained, creative and substantive contribution to the education of elementary and secondary school children
- to foster the active professional development and career enhancement of Milken Educators and other professionals
- to encourage Milken Educators to help shape educational policies that influence their classrooms and schools
- to elevate the teaching profession by increasing public recognition of and support for outstanding educators and successful school programs
- to encourage talented men and women to enter the field of education
Awards are presented to elementary (grades K-6) educators and secondary (grades 7-12) educators in alternate years.
Each Milken Educator Award carries with it an unrestricted award of $25,000.
Milken Educator Awards are announced in the fall and celebrated at banquets hosted by the foundation in each state. These celebrations are attended by the honorees' families, local school administrators, community leaders, the state's chief of education and frequently its governor. These events are an important part of the program since a major goal is to honor educators publicly.