Hill receives prestigious Milken Award

Friday morning at Thermopolis Middle School, seventh and eighth grade Health/Physical Education teacher, Shannon Hill, received quite a surprise as she was announced as a recipient of the Milken Educator Award and $25,000.

The Milken Educator Awards, created by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987, recognizes teaching excellence publicly not only to inspire educators, but students and entire communities about the importance of joining the teaching profession. The prestigious honor, to be presented this 2017-18 season at 44 schools across the nation, has been described as "the Oscars of teaching" by Teacher magazine.

More than $138 million in funding, including $68 million in individual $25,000 awards, has been devoted to the overall initiative, which includes powerful professional learning opportunities throughout recipients' careers.

This is the only Milken Educator Award to be given in Wyoming this season. It is also the first one ever received by a Thermopolis teacher, and the first awarded in Wyoming in 10 years; the last was presented to Tracy Petsch of Albin Elementary School in 2008.

Hill was selected as a recipient of the award due to her work in redesigning physical education classes to incorporate hiking, biking, swimming, canoeing and an annual off-campus camping trip.

According to a press release, "Hill redesigned the Physical Education classes to promote safety and improve physical and mental health. She has presented its success during state and national conferences, including the National School Board Conference in March 2017. As students have become more active, math and reading scores at Thermopolis Middle School have steadily climbed. Five out of nine core areas at the school ranked top 10 percent in the state, and administrators credit this to the positive culture Hill has helped to create."

Hill incorporates cross-curricular concepts to support math and literacy standards in her P.E. classes. Bike rides incorporate trips to the grocery store to purchase fresh foods, with lessons in how to cook healthy meals and calculate nutritional values. Hill also, through lessons and surveys, helps students improve their self-image, stand up to peer pressure and learn about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Hill is also the head varsity girls' volleyball coach, hosts open gyms, coordinates the Ready, Set, Run program, and is a student council advisor and active member of the Bobcat Booster Club.

In addition to the monetary award, Hill also joins a team of Milken educators. She will travel to Washington, D.C. in March to meet with other Milken teachers to work together to improve education all across America.

Following the presentation, Principal Breez Longwell Daniels noted Hill has been with the school for six years. She added Hill's heart is "the heart of a teacher."

Hill said she was completely shocked when her name was announced as the award recipient. The announcement was unexpected, she said, and none of the teachers knew anything. They thought they were going to an assembly to recognize the school as a Professional Learning Community At Work™ (PLC) model school.

As of money, Hill had yet to make plans for the money, as she was still wrapping her head around the amount. She said she was completely humbled and grateful for the award.

Looking ahead to the D.C. conference in March, Hill is excited to meet with other educators to speak about our middle school and promote Health and Physical Education. She noted the programs are promoted well in the district, but might otherwise take a backseat to other core curriculum.

Hill also expressed much appreciation to her team at the middle school, as "without them, I wouldn't be the teacher I am today."

To open the ceremony leading up to Hill's receipt of the award, the middle school choir performed the National Anthem and the school song.

During the ceremony, Daniels noted they were gathered to also celebrate the work they do as educators in public schools. One of the collective commitments at Thermopolis Middle School, she said, is to seek creative ways to celebrate each other.

The school is a top performing school in Wyoming, Daniels noted, with students who work hard to achieve their goals and teachers who support them in their learning. She added they are also fortunate to have a superintendent who believes in teamwork, the goals and the ability for students to achieve.

Superintendent Dustin Hunt acknowledged he would not be able to do what he does without the outstanding leadership that comes from the school board. He also introduced Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow.

Balow, during her presentation, said she loves what she does because it allows her the opportunity to travel to places that are filled with students and teachers who make a difference every day. "If it wasn't for all of you, I wouldn't be doing this job."

Balow also pointed out the school's national recognition as a model PLC standout school. She further explained the staff at the school are doing a lot of "behind the scenes" work to make the school a success. Among that work, she said, is making sure all the lessons they deliver increases student opportunity for success in school and life.

Thermopolis Middle School is one of only two middle schools in the country to be recognized as a PLC standout school, one of only five schools in Wyoming to receive the honor and one of 156 schools recognized nationally.

What's more important than the recognition, Balow said, is the sustained commitment by students and staff to do their best year after year. She also acknowledged Daniels' being named the Distinguished Principal of the Year for Wyoming in 2017.

Greg Gallagher, the senior program administrator for the Milken Family Foundation, said teachers play a critical role in society, trusted with preparing children for bright futures. He said research and experience shows the most important factor determining how well students do is the quality of teachers, and asked students to think of their favorite teachers.

Gallagher asked all the teachers, as well as Hunt and Daniels, stand to be recognized.

Before the announcement of Hill as the Milken Award recipient, Gallagher had a few students at the assembly join him to hold up numbers one by one, slowly revealing the full $25,000 amount she received.

Gallagher said the award is not a "lifetime achievement award," and he hopes it continues to propel her into the future.