Holly Hunter gets a hand with her oversized check from colleagues.
From left: Davis Elementary School Principal Brian Conway; Grinnell-Newburg Community School District Superintendent Lisa Beames; recipient Holly Hunter (IA ’24); Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow; Milken Educator Awards Vice President Jennifer Fuller; and Iowa Department of Education Education Program Consultant Molly McConnell.
Grinnell Elementary Teacher Surprised with Prestigious, National Milken Educator Award – and $25,000!
Holly Hunter is the only educator in Iowa to receive the Award this season
Grinnell, Iowa (January 16, 2025) — A schoolwide assembly took a surprising turn this morning at Davis Elementary School when the Milken Educator Awards team took the stage to share some unexpected news: Third grade teacher Holly Hunter was the newest Milken Educator! Milken Educator Awards Vice President Jennifer Fuller presented the honor to Hunter, together with Iowa Education Director McKenzie Snow, in front of cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media. The Award comes with a check for $25,000 that Hunter can use however she chooses. She is the only teacher in the state to receive the Award in the 2024-25 season.
“Holly Hunter’s outstanding leadership and commitment are reflected in every endeavor she pursues, from her creative classroom curriculum to her mentorship of other educators at Davis Elementary and throughout the district,” said Fuller, herself a Milken Educator from Texas in 2017. “Holly’s passion empowers her young students to thrive and instills the value of lifelong learning in her school, district, and the broader community. We proudly welcome Holly into our national Milken Educator Network.”
Today, Hunter joins a national network of over 3,000 Milken Educators spanning the Awards’ nearly 40-yearhistory as the nation’s preeminent teacher-recognition program. Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards inspire educators, students and entire communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career. More than $75 million in individual financial prizes and more than $145 million have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
“Across Iowa, dedicated educators like Holly are ensuring every student receives evidence-based instruction that empowers them to be proficient readers by the end of third grade,” said Director Snow. “Holly is a leader in schoolwide Science of Reading implementation, modeling best practices that have the greatest impact on student achievement and growth. She inspires fellow educators, builds strong relationships with students and families, and delivers results for all learners. On behalf of all of us at the Department of Education, congratulations Holly!”
Outstanding educators like Hunter are not aware of their candidacy for the Award. Recipients are sought out while early- to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplishgiven the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award.
More About Holly Hunter
Beacon of Warmth, Positivity for Her Students: At Davis Elementary, Hunter’s beaming smile and positive, welcoming nature light up the lives of her students, colleagues and community. In her classroom, shespecializes in capturing student interest with engaging projects, such as using a 3D printer to make objects that accompany writing pieces, or researching, writing and printing their own nonfiction books. Hunter incorporates the Science of Reading into her literacy curriculum, working with students frequently on phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. She helps students take ownership of their learning by setting goals, analyzing work and data to make informed decisions, and receiving continuous, constructive feedback. Also building confidence and empowerment at a young age, Hunter’s class reads Wendy Ewald’s “The Best Part of Me,” which turns into a wider discussion, writing, and photography project in which students identify and articulate parts of themselves that they value.
Mentor and Model Teacher, Always Learning and Leading: A lifelong learner, Hunter seeks to increase her own knowledge and instructional skills. At Davis Elementary, she serves as the leader of the third grade ELA professional learning community (PLC), where she models best teaching practices and assists her colleagues with curriculum, instruction, assessments, and lesson planning. Hunter’s role on the school’s leadership team has allowed her to have a role in implementing the Science of Reading schoolwide, organizing class schedules, hiring new staff, reviewing data, and more. Further supporting her colleagues, she teaches monthly competency-based professional development as part of the social emotional learning (SEL) committee, serves on the positive behavior instructional support (PBIS) team, and has supervised student teachers. At the district level, Hunter is a model teacher, opening her classroom door to districtwide observation while also serving on the SEL team, Teacher Leadership and Compensation Plan committee, and ELA committee.
Celebrates Student Success Throughout the Year: At the end of each year, Hunter highlights each of her students with a spotlight poster, where classmates can leave positive messages and memories about that student for them to have as a keepsake. She works to involve families year-round with constant communication, invitations to her classroom, and the opportunity for students to present their projects.
Education: Hunter is National Board Certified. She earned her bachelor’s in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2015.
The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits
The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishingscholarships, and even adopting children.
Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs.
The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles this April, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.
Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.
Follow the Milken Educator Awards tour and use the #MEA3K and #MilkenAward hashtags on: Facebook(MilkenEducatorAwards)| X (Milken)| YouTube (MilkenAward)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| LinkedIn(MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward).
Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information.
-MEA-
About the Milken Educator Awards: “The Future Belongs to the Educated”
The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken, the Awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to K-12 teachers, principals, and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early- to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish. The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.
