Thursday, January 11, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Honors Two Missouri Educators for Teaching Excellence
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today honored two Missouri educators for their achievements in teaching excellence. Luella Atkins and Susan Carter are recipients of the Milken Educator Awards.
“Education is my highest budget and policy priority,” said Blunt, who earlier this week announced his plan to add $2 million for the Parents as Teachers program. “I am honored that Missouri is home to teachers like Luella Atkins and Susan Carter who are committed to providing our children the world class education they all deserve. I am also proud we have delivered significant funding increases to education every year since I became governor and that we will continue to provide students with the tools they need to be tomorrow’s leaders.”
Ms. Atkins is a reading coach for the Reading First program in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Atkins trains teachers in writing and language arts skills and strategies, and she assists in assessing students.
Ms. Carter is a first grade teacher at Jackson Park Elementary School. Carter is chair of the school’s professional development committee.
The Milken Family Foundation created the awards to honor elementary and secondary teachers, principals and other public school professionals for excellence in education. Educators from each state are honored annually and each recipient receives $25,000. Participating states’ departments of education appoint committees to recommend educators for the award. The governor hosted a luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion to honor Ms. Atkins and Ms. Carter on receiving the Milken Educator Awards.
Since taking office the governor has secured nearly a third of a billion dollars in new funding for education, which has allowed for the expansion of Missouri’s nationally recognized Parents as Teachers program and increased funding for A+ Schools. Blunt has also pledged that he will never withhold money approved for Missouri classrooms. He continues to identify ways to enhance Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS) learning in our state and hosted the first comprehensive summit to bring stakeholders together to identify solutions to current challenges in METS. In addition, his early childhood initiatives are working to ensure Missouri’s youngest students get a head start on lifelong learning.
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