Elementary school teacher Shane Baker of Bowling Green, Kentucky, haas garnered a prestigious 2023 Milken Educator Award. Photo credit: Milken Educator Awards

There are many exceptional teachers working in our nation’s schools who are deserving of recognition. One of these is Shane Baker, an elementary school teacher from Bowling Green, Kansas. He has garnered a prestigious 2023 Milken Educator Award.

Shane teaches third grade at Jennings Creek Elementary School in Warren County. He has a reputation for creating a warm, welcoming place for students of all abilities, and at a school with a high rate of poverty and a significant number of students who do not speak English as a first language.

This teacher obviously enjoys working with his students from diverse backgrounds. “I get to come to work and I get to interact with kids who come from families from all over the world. It’s such a unique environment that you just can’t get in very many other places,” he declares. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see kids who come from different backgrounds or to see kids who look like me because I didn’t get that experience growing up,” he continues.

In addition, Shane serves as an EdTech Ambassador for his school district. In this role, he incorporates technology into his project-based learning curriculum, adjusting for each student’s unique needs throughout the school year. In fact, in his classroom Shane employs green screens for presentations, creates animated stories, utilizes coding to create 3D printer projects, and incorporates digital tools into multimedia discussions.

Shane earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University in 2017. He is currently working on his Master’s degree in teacher leadership.

The Milken Educator Awards have been described by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching.” In addition to a $25,000 cash prize and public recognition, the honor includes membership in the National Milken Educator Network, a group of more than 3,000 exemplary teachers, principals, and specialists from all over the country who work towards strengthening best practices in education. To learn more about the program, click on Milken Educator Awards.