‘Blazing a path’: North teacher and Milken honoree walks red carpet in L.A.

Hailing from across the country, these educators gathered for the first time to walk the red carpet, participate in professional development opportunities, and to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the American K-12 teaching profession.

Following their surprise notifications in January, 2023 South Carolina recipients Amanda Fair-Coles and Sarah Vicini received their unrestricted $25,000 cash prizes from Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken and Milken Family Foundation Co-Founder and President Mike Milken.

“We are gathered to celebrate the achievements of 2023’s Milken Educators – those who have harnessed the potential to effect significant change and inspire their students to positively impact the course of our nation and the world,” Lowell Milken said.

“Through the Milken Educator Award, we celebrate their achievements, elevate their practice with powerful professional development opportunities, and activate their capacity to make an indelible mark on the profession at large. We hope they will inspire many other talented young people to follow their lead and become teachers, administrators and specialists committed to blazing a path for future generations,” he said.

Fair-Coles, a first-grade teacher at Dover Elementary School, was surprised with the Milken Educator Award – and a $25,000 cash prize – during an assembly held at the North school in January.

Fair-Coles said she was at a loss for words.

“I’m so grateful for this award. I never would have thought. I didn’t see this coming at all, and I thank my principal for providing me with opportunities that I didn’t think I deserved. So thank you for seeing my worth,” she said, referring to Dover Elementary Principal Sylvia Williams.

S.C. Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver was also present to congratulate Fair-Coles at the January ceremony.

“On behalf of the state of South Carolina, I just want to say how incredibly proud we are of you. You are the best and highest representation of one of the greatest professions in the entire world. You have a teacher’s heart,” she said.

This year’s forum theme, “Unleashing Educator Leadership,” sparked a networking opportunity unlike any other: The 2023 recipients met with veteran Milken Educators and education leaders from across the country to begin their lifetime membership to the national Milken Educator network.

Recipients learned about powerful mentoring opportunities through the Milken Family Foundation to expand their leadership and impact and to strengthen the Milken Educator Network within their home states.

In 2023-24, 68 Milken Educators were surprised with their awards at all-school assemblies as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator.