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Milken Educator Award and $25,000 presented to Amber Dortch, M.Ed '05

by Jana Rausch Coffey, Senior Manager, Media and Public Affairs, Milken Foundation | December 14, 2015


Amber Dortch, M.Ed. '05The Milken Family Foundation presented Amber Dortch, a 2005 College of William and Mary alum, with a Milken Educator Award and $25,000 December 11 to spend however she wishes. She received her master’s in educational policy, planning and leadership.

Amber Dortch is principal of Hugo A. Owens Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia. She was surprised with the Award before Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Steven R. Staples, Secretary of Education Anne Holton, cheering colleagues and students, dignitaries and the media. Amber’s event was part of the Milken Family Foundation’s national tour surprising outstanding educators with the Milken Educator Award and its accompanying unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. The Foundation only honors up to 40 recipients every year.

Photos and a video from the event can be found here.

Details of the day’s incredible festivities can be found in the release here.

The Milken Educator Awards were conceived by the Milken Family Foundation to attract, retain and motivate outstanding talent to the teaching profession. It is the nation’s preeminent teacher recognition program, dubbed the “Oscars of Teaching” by Teacher magazine. Since 1987, the Milken Family Foundation has devoted more than $137 million in funding to the Milken Educator Awards, including over $66 million in individual Awards to more than 2,600 recipients plus powerful professional development opportunities and networking with leading education stakeholders..