Athens third-grade teacher Ann Cunningham received a $25,000 surprise yesterday morning at a school assembly when a national foundation honored her with a prestigious award.
The Milken Family Foundation, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based foundation that supports advances in education and medical research, gives the National Educator Award to 100 teachers nationwide who display exceptional educational talent and high potential.
Cunningham, who teaches at West Elementary School in Athens after spending 10 years at Chauncey Elementary School, said she thought the morning assembly was to celebrate the school's academic achievement.
Instead, guests at the assembly included Marilyn Troyer, senior associate superintendent for educational programs at the Ohio Department of Education and Athens City School Board members.
I'm just really glad that teachers can be recognized in a positive way
Cunningham said. I'm just one of many. There are lots of teachers who do hard work every day.
Linda Rolli, principal of Chauncey Elementary School, said she nominated Cunningham three years ago when Cunningham was the literacy coordinator at Chauncey. Cunningham greatly improved the literacy in Chauncey by thinking outside the box and making students excited about reading, she said.
I think she's got so much potential Rolli said. She's a fantastic teacher and she's a great advocate for education.
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Amanda Teuscher
