Kristine Yulich, an elementary school teacher from Kansas, has earned a prestigious Milken Educator Award. Photo Credit: Kristine Becker

There are many exceptional teachers working in our nation’s schools who are deserving of recognition. One of these is Kristine Yulich, an elementary school teacher from Topeka, Kansas. She has garnered a prestigious 2022-2023 Milken Educator Award.

Kristine teaches fourth grade at Logan Elementary School. In her classroom the honored educator personalizes student learning through small-group instruction, provides opportunities for student choice, and embraces technology, incorporating multiple adaptive learning platforms to enable her students to master concepts at a pace comfortable for each one.

Kristine loves to create immersive environments where students can have fun while they are learning. For a unit on the judicial system, she created a simulated courtroom, with students taking on the roles of judge, plaintiff, defendant, jurors, and attorneys. She organized mock elections to represent a national presidential election. She built an imitation campsite in the middle of her classroom where her students could conduct science experiments. And she created a spy headquarters with black lights and glow-in-the-dark accessories. During the pandemic, she dressed like a pioneer traveling along the Oregon Trail, and asked her students to help her make choices for finding food, securing shelter, and surviving the perils of the arduous journey.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Kristine has worked on curriculum, grade card realignment, and social committees. She created her school district’s first elementary STEM Fair, building lessons and programs that her colleagues brought to life in their own classrooms. And as if all this were not enough, she mentors first-year and student teachers, helping them to build their professional skills and competencies.

Kristine earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Emporia State University in 2013. She earned her Master’s degree in Instructional Coaching with a concentration in elementary STEM in 2016. She also earned her National Geographic Educator Certification.

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.