BALTIMORE – Allison Felton, an algebra teacher at Annapolis High School in Anne Arundel County, today was named the surprise recipient of a prestigious 2017-18 Milken National Educator Award. Felton is the only Maryland educator receiving a Milken honor this year, and one of only 44 in the nation. Governor Larry Hogan and State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon attended the award ceremony.
Hailed by Teacher magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the award is sponsored by the Milken Family Foundation and includes a $25,000 cash prize.
“Our administration is working hard to ensure that every child in Maryland is given the opportunity of a great education, and a big part of that is to have great, talented, and enthusiastic teachers in our classrooms,” said Governor Hogan. “I want to congratulate Allison Felton on this very well-deserved recognition and thank the Milken Family Foundation for this incredible program which honors our nation’s educators.”
Dr. Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, noted that Ms. Felton’s primary goal is to make certain every student succeeds.
“Allison Felton is the quintessential mathematics teacher: someone who sets a high bar and works tirelessly with her students to make sure they meet every expectation,” said Dr. Salmon. “Her creative teaching methods inspire her algebra students to understand complex material, master concepts and most importantly learn to love math.”
Mike Milken, co-founder of the Milken Foundation, presented the award to the awestruck teacher in
an auditorium filled with students. “Great teachers like Allison Felton prove every day that education is the best investment,” he said.
At Annapolis High School, Felton is known for doing whatever it takes to help students succeed in math. Felton was hand-picked to work with ninth-graders on the Early Warning Indicator list, which includes students who struggle with attendance, behavior, and grades. Despite their struggles in other classes at the high-needs, highly diverse school, students have thrived in and passed Felton’s Algebra I class. Even students who lack confidence in their math skills have said they will succeed with Felton as their teacher. And they do – Felton’s students showed 20 percent growth from 2015 to 2016 in Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) year-end assessments for Algebra I.
Felton earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 2010 and a master’s in teaching in 2011 from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been teaching at Annapolis High School for the past six years.
More information about Felton, plus links to photos and a video from today’s assembly, can be found on the Milken Educator Awards website at http://www.milkeneducatorawards.org/educators/view/Allison-Felton.