More than four months ago Dogwood Elementary 5th grade teacher Alexa Guynes cried tears of joy when her school surprised her with the news she'd won the prestigious 2022 Milken Educator Award.Now she has her $25,000 prize.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKuk2Qv-Z9Y&t=15s[/embed]Milken Educator Awards founder Lowell Milken and Milken Family Foundation president Mike Milken provided Guynes with her cash prize at a national forum held at UCLA late last month.“We shine a spotlight on these men and women so that when they return to their schools, they will know that their work is not only noticed but treasured,” said Lowell Milken. “We hope that they will inspire many other talented young people to become exceptional teachers, principals and specialists, keeping the fire of learning alive in the hearts and minds of young people for decades to come.”The award recognizes the Germantown teacher’s innovative work creating lessons, like her “Book a Day” project, that’s designed to bring learning to life for her students. In the “Book a Day” project, Guynes starts each class by reading a book aloud to fully engage all students in reflective and analytical discussions.The Milken Educator Network consists of over 2,900 teachers from across the United States. The educator network is part of the Milken Family Foundation, based in California with a mission of empowering people through education.Part of pursuing this mission is uplifting educators and providing their network with resources, trainings and more.¶
