Students all over our country are so fortunate to have so many talented educators staffing our public schools. These hardworking individuals work tirelessly to develop innovative and effective instructional programs, and they genuinely care about their students. One of these is Sarah King, a first grade teacher from Hawaii. She garnered a prestigious 2018-2019 Milken Educator Award, only one of 33 teachers in the country to do so.
Sarah hails from Ala Wai Elementary School in Honolulu. As the Title I coordinator there, Sara develops school-wide support systems that allow all the kids to thrive and reach their full potential. She works with her colleagues to achieve these goals with tiered support systems and enrichment programs.
Sarah says she has always dreamed of becoming a teacher. The highlight of her day is helping students learn how to read. “The students make it all worth it,” Sarah asserts. “When you see them light up when they finally figure out something or are proud of themselves and knowing you had a hand in that, (it) is awesome,” she said.
Sarah attended the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2008. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies there in 2012.
The Milken Educator Awards have been described by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to the $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 2,700 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country who work towards strengthening best practices in education. Sarah is one of up to 40 educators, and the only one from Hawaii, to receive the Milken Educator Award for the 2018-2019 year. To learn more, click on Milken Educator Awards.