Jefferson Parish eighth grade ELA teacher receives $25,000 award

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — At a special assembly at Stella Worley Middle School on Nov. 4, eighth grade English language arts teacher Sarah Watkins was surprised with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

Dr. Joshua Barnett, the CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, presented Watkins with the award, commending her for her hard work and dedication in her 16 years of teaching.

“What a gift to have the aptitude – and capacity – to inspire leadership in others the way Sarah Watkins does at Stella Worley,” Barnett said. “Her exemplary dedication to continuous improvement has made a positive impact on her school, community and state.”

Since Louisiana joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 2001, Watkins is the state’s 54th recipient of the award.

Watkins is now one of 3,000 Milken Educators in the nation, which spans the awards’ 40-year history. Deemed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Award does not have a formal application, but outstanding K-12 teachers are “sought out” for it.

“Sarah’s commitment to student growth and teacher development is a powerful example of the academic excellence driving progress across our state,” Cade Brumley, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, said. “This national recognition reaffirms that Louisiana educators are among the best in the country.”

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