Press Releases
Lowell Milken Surprises Louisiana Teacher Ashley Davis with Milestone 3,000th Milken Educator Award and $25,000
Fourth grade math teacher joins national network of pioneering professionals working to shape the future of education
December 4, 2024
Santa Monica, Calif. — Today's all-school assembly at Central Intermediate School turned into the celebration of a Milken Milestone nearly 40 years in the making! Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken surprised fourth grade math teacher Ashley Davis with the 3,000th Award and an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize that she can use as she wishes. State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley joined in celebrating Davis, along with cheering students, proud colleagues, local dignitaries, and a large cohort of Milken Educator Award recipients representing every corner of the Pelican State. Davis is the first Award recipient in the Central Community School System and the 51st recipient in Louisiana. (The complete list of Milken Educators who congratulated Davis can be found at the end of this release.)
"It gives me great pleasure to honor Ashley Davis as the 3,000th recipient of the Milken Educator Award. Ashley's many contributions to Central Intermediate School have not only raised academic achievement, but have also instilled in students a passion for learning and the confidence to move on successfully to the next stage of learning and life," said Lowell Milken. "Today Ashley joins the national Milken Educator Network, which represents the tenets of educational excellence and leadership. With this historic milestone, we recognize the extraordinary work of all 3,000 Milken Educators across America who shape the future for their students, inspire colleagues, and uphold the nobility and vitality of the profession for generations to come."
The Milken Educator Awards is hailed as the "Oscars of Teaching." This school year, up to 45 recipients will be honored, reaching more than $75 million in individual financial prizes and more than $145 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
"Achieving excellence in education begins with exceptional teachers. Ashley Davis exemplifies the dedication and skill that make Louisiana's classrooms places of opportunity and growth," said State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. "She ensures every child is valued and benefits from high-quality instruction."
The Milken Educator Awards inspire educators, students and entire communities to "Celebrate, Elevate and Activate" the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career. Outstanding educators like Davis are not aware of their candidacy for the Award. Recipients are sought out while early- to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award.
More About Ashley Davis
An Inspiration to All: Every Halloween at Central Intermediate School, students dress as the profession they want to pursue. To those who know fourth grade inclusion math teacher Ashley Davis, it's no surprise that each year, dozens of future teachers attend class dressed as their inspiration – "Mrs. Davis." She has played an instrumental role in developing and enhancing Central Intermediate's inclusion model, providing a nurturing classroom environment for general and special education students to learn alongside and from each other. Davis fondly describes her daily mission as "creating little leaders": She empowers her students to excel by implementing research-based lessons and learning strategies tailored to every child, based on student work, data and feedback.
Harnessing Real-Life Experiences: Having struggled with math as a child, Davis draws from personal experience to connect with her students, develop strategies that work, build their confidence, and enhance their social-emotional well-being. Through the district's alignment to the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's (NIET) systems for educator excellence, leadership and professional growth, Davis outlines success criteria for students, engages them in setting pre-assessment goals, and leads post-assessment reflections. The classroom is often filled with lively peer discussions and students sharing their methods for mastering concepts using higher-order thinking and problem-solving. Davis' students make real-life learning connections for "Lemonade Day," where they demonstrate their knowledge of counting money, profit and loss, and addition and multiplication by running their own business – then donating their proceeds to St. Jude's.
Uplifting Others: Davis is an integral member of Central's Instructional Leadership Team to drive effective teaching and learning and leads fellow fourth grade math teachers as content chair of their professional learning community. Additionally, she mentors new student teachers and is a certified Mentor Teacher by the Louisiana Department of Education. While Davis observes and reflects on lessons and instructional strategies with her mentees, her co-teaching inclusion classroom is repeatedly used as an example of excellence across her school, for the district's special education department, and in the state of Louisiana – attracting a visit from State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley.
A Beloved Community Leader: Davis is known to go above and beyond in supporting her students' endeavors both inside and outside of the classroom. In her free time, she coaches community recreational youth sports like tee-ball, softball, basketball and soccer. An active member of her church, Davis assists with Sunday school, special programs, and vacation bible school.
Education: Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in education in 2010 from Louisiana State University.
The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits
- The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children's or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
- Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs.
- The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in April 2025, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.
- Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.
Follow the Milken Educator Awards tour and use the #MEA3K and #MilkenAward hashtags on: Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards)| X (Milken)| YouTube (MilkenAward)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward).
Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information.
About the Milken Educator Awards: "The Future Belongs to the Educated"
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early- to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.
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Milken Educators Congratulate 3,000th Recipient Ashley Davis
Milken Educators joined in force to welcome newly minted Milken Educator Ashley Davis of Central, Louisiana, as the 3,000th recipient of the Milken Educator Network. Below is the list of attendees who congratulated Davis at her surprise ceremony at Central Intermediate School. The coast-to-coast Milken Educator Network is working to shape the future of education and attract more young, capable people to choose education as a career.
Veteran Milken Educator Award Recipients
3,000th Milken Educator Award Presentation
Christine Bayard (LA '23) received her Milken Educator Award at Johnston-Hopkins Elementary School in New Iberia, Louisiana. She currently serves as both a sixth grade classroom teacher and mentor teacher on her school’s Instructional Leadership Team through a district partnership with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.
Stephanie Bishop (VA '01), now a vice president of the Milken Educator Awards, received her Award as a drama teacher/department chair at Prince George High School in Prince George, Virginia. Prior to joining the Milken Educator Awards, she was director of secondary education for Prince George County Public Schools, and previously, principal at J.E.J. Moore Middle School in Disputanta, Virginia.
Norm Conard (KS '92) received his Milken Educator Award as a social studies, communications, and video production teacher at Uniontown High School in Uniontown, Kansas. His class project involving the discovery of Irena Sendler's courageous actions to save 2,500 children from the Holocaust helped inspire the creation of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC). LMC was founded by Lowell Milken in partnership with Conard to discover, develop and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes of history. Conard serves as chief executive officer, mentoring teachers and students in project-based learning and welcoming visitors from around the globe to LMC's headquarters in historic Fort Scott, Kansas.
Vicky Condalary (LA '01) received her Milken Educator Award as a first grade teacher at Cedarcrest-Southmoor Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When Louisiana began implementation of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement in 2003, Vicky quickly seized the opportunity to become a master teacher at Cedarcrest-Southmoor – one of the five pilot schools. She has helped to strengthen the partnership ever since. Condalary worked as a master teacher, then as an executive master teacher at the Louisiana Department of Education supporting master teachers in NIET districts across the state. She is currently NIET's senior vice president of services and partnerships.
Theresa Cross (LA '17) received her Milken Educator Award as a TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement master teacher at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is now an academic dean at the same school.
Dereka Duncan (LA '22) received her Milken Educator Award as a fifth grade science teacher at Cohn Elementary School in Port Allen, Louisiana. Now she is a math and science instructional coach at Port Allen Elementary School, also in West Baton Rouge Schools.
Dr. Jane Foley (IN '94), now senior vice president of the Milken Educator Awards and director of the Milken Scholars Program, received her Milken Educator Award as principal of Flint Lake Elementary School in Valparaiso, Indiana. Before joining the Milken Educator Awards and Milken Scholars Program, Dr. Foley was a public school educator for 24 years, serving at the elementary and high school levels as both teacher and principal.
Marco French (LA '21) received his Milken Educator Award as principal of Queensborough Leadership Academy in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is currently district instructional supervisor for the Claiborne Parish School Board.
Jennifer Fuller (TX '17), now a vice president for the Milken Educator Awards, received her Award as a tenth grade English language arts teacher at Arlington High School in Arlington, Texas. Before joining the Milken Educator Awards, Jennifer spent a total of 21 years in Arlington, serving as a junior high school teacher, then a high school English teacher before ascending to the district as a coordinator of leadership development.
Mary Harris (LA '06) received her Milken Educator Award as a fourth grade teacher at Summer Grove Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana. After her Award, she worked at South Highlands Elementary School as a master teacher with The TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement, then later, as principal. In 2008-09, Harris contributed to the significant growth of Oak Park MicroSociety as its instructional coordinator. Her impact reached the state level through her work as a member of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Currently, Harris is an international educational consultant for MicroSociety, Inc.
Roger Kassebaum (NE '97) received his Milken Educator Award as a physics teacher at Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2011, he was awarded the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation (AIAA) Educator Achievement Award and was the first recipient of the Conrad Foundation’s Innovative Teacher of the Year Award. Now he runs his own global educational startup company, Founders Bootcamp, serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska Omaha, and is a venture partner at Wiase Capital focused on impact investments.
Laura Laiche (LA '21) received her Milken Educator Award as a fourth grade classroom teacher and NIET mentor teacher at Slaughter Elementary School in Slaughter, Louisiana. She is now a fourth grade teacher at Bains Elementary School in St. Francisville.
John Lary (LA '15) received his Milken Educator Award as a history teacher at C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he currently teaches. He served as a 2016 Fellow at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes and a fellow for the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) in 2023. In addition, Lary presented on project-based learning through LMC at the National Council for Social Studies and has participated in multiple Milken Educator Awards Forums.
Margaret Leeds (CA '87), now retired and residing in Texas, received her Milken Educator Award at Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California, where she served as chair of the physical education department, then assistant principal.
Jessica Major (LA '15) received her Milken Educator Award as a master teacher with the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement at Port Allen Middle School in Port Allen, Louisiana. She is now principal of Port Allen Middle School.
Dr. Amanda Mayeaux (LA '03) received her Milken Educator Award as an eighth grade math teacher at Dutchtown Middle School in Geismar, Louisiana. She went on to serve as a master teacher in Baton Rouge and career management specialist for the Iberville Parish School District. Currently, Mayeaux is a visiting assistant professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Educational Foundations and Leadership department.
Deania Law McMillian (LA '09), now retired, received her Milken Educator Award as a master teacher with the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement at North DeSoto Middle School in Stonewall, Louisiana. She remained an instrumental part of the school’s leadership team when DeSoto Middle School received the prestigious, national TAP Founder’s Award in 2013 from Lowell Milken. The Award is bestowed upon one school nationally each year for exceptional implementation of NIET’s principles.
Beth (Miller) Manuel (LA '01), now retired, received her Milken Educator Award as a math specialist at Dorseyville Elementary School in White Castle, Louisiana. During her time as a teacher, she was a member of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She spent the last 14 years of her career as an administrator in Louisiana’s Central Community School System.
Lindsey Parker (LA '14) received her Milken Educator Award as a master teacher for the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement at North DeSoto Elementary School. She became a teacher leader advisor, training teachers statewide for the Louisiana Department of Education, before joining the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching in 2017. She serves as associate director of professional learning, developing innovative training and support materials to meet partner needs across the country.
Kelly Ryan (LA '23) received her Milken Educator Award as a science teacher at Northshore High School in Slidell, Louisiana, where she currently teaches. Her classes include chemistry, honors chemistry and environmental science.
Chandler Smith (LA '15) received his Milken Educator Award as principal of Plaquemine High School in Plaquemine, Louisiana. He is now superintendent of West Baton Rouge Parish in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Staci Thomas (LA '08) received her Milken Educator Award as a kindergarten teacher at A.C. Steere Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana. She has since worked as a master teacher in Caddo Parish.
Elise Tureau Frederic (LA '22) received her Milken Educator Award as a first grade teacher at Lakeside Primary School in Prairieville, Louisiana. She is currently a classroom teacher and mentor teacher at the same school.
Lauren Waguespack (LA '23) received her Milken Educator Award as a sixth grade science teacher at Harry Hurst Middle School in Destrehan, Louisiana, and maintains that role today.
Jay Weisman (LA '21) received his Milken Educator Award as a math teacher at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He remains at the same school as a math teacher and the department chair.
Stephanie Whetstone (LA '18) received her Milken Educator Award as a math and science teacher at Bains Elementary School in St. Francisville, Louisiana. She is now assistant principal at Bains Elementary School.
Devon Willis-Jones (LA '16) received her Milken Educator Award as principal of Jeanerette Elementary School in Jeanerette, Louisiana. She served as a master teacher and special education classroom teacher in Iberia Parish before joining the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching. She is currently director of service operations.
Derrick Winn (LA '23) received his Milken Educator Award as a third grade math and science teacher at Crestworth Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he remains in the same role today.