Awards to Educators

As a 1987 recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, I was pleased to see the colorful and insightful article by Bob Pool (Sept. 29) about two outstanding Los Angeles-area educators who had just been paid surprise visits by Lowell Milken and told, as admiring students looked on, that they had been selected to receive this prestigious award as well as $25,000 each.

What your reporter could not know is the long-term effect this award has had on me and others like me. I have gained so much from the Milken Family Foundation’s continued outreach and nurturing. Each spring we recipients from around the country are invited to the Milken National Education Conference, where we are treated to high-caliber professional development opportunities--speeches, workshops, discussion groups, demonstrations, networking. (This last spring, the theme was “Technology in Education.”)

After each conference I return a better teacher; there’s a direct correlation. Not only am I able to share what I’ve learned with students and colleagues, but I’m re-imbued with a strong sense of professional pride.

SHIRLEY ROSENKRANZ

Temple City High School