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CMS educator wins national Milken Educator Award
Just after Vanessa Smith, a first grade teacher at Croft Community School in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), was named a national Milken Educator Award winner in December before the holidays, she said, “I definitely wouldn’t be here without my class.”
“I know all of us are here with the hearts in the right place with our students,” said Smith, who is North Carolina’s 57th recipient of the Milken Educator Award since 1987.
Vice President of the Milken Educator Awards Stephanie Bishop was on hand to surprise Smith with the award and the unrestricted $25,000 cash prize.
“Vanessa Smith’s dedication and creativity shine in every lesson as she guides her first-graders through engaging, thought-provoking learning activities that provide students with a solid foundation for their educational journeys,” said Bishop.
“Vanessa Smith’s creative instructional practices not only positively impact her students, but also inspire her fellow educators,” said State Superintendent Catherine Truitt in a press release. “Using tailored instructive methods, Smith ensures students’ academic needs are met, creating a positive impact on their growth.”
You can read more about how Smith fosters growth with heart and her leadership in action in the press release from the Milken Educator Awards.
Smith is National Board Certified. She earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary and special education from Seton Hall University in 2019.
The Milken Educator Award
According to DPI’s press release, the Milken Family Foundation bestows the award annually to recognize exceptional early-to-mid career education professionals. Candidates for the award are identified through a confidential selection process and then reviewed by blue ribbon panels appointed by state departments of education. Those most exceptional are recommended for the award, with final approval by the Milken Family Foundation.
Along with the $25,000 prize, recipients join the national Milken Educator Network, a group of nearly 3,000 top teachers, principals, and specialists. The network serves as a rich resource for educators, legislators, school boards, and others dedicated to excellence in education.
The honorees will 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 with veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to increase their impact on K-12 education.
In addition, they will learn about how to become involved in the Milken Friends Forever (MFF) mentoring program, in which new Milken Educators receive personalized coaching and support from a Milken Educator veteran on ways to elevate their instructional practice and take an active role in educational leadership, policy, and practice.
Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national, and international levels. The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. 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.
