Ninth-grade English teacher Meghan Nese thought she would leave Burrell High School's assembly on Tuesday with a better grasp on the state of education in Pennsylvania.
What she really left with was $25,000, a standing ovation and membership to one of the country's most prestigious groups of public educators.
Nese, 38, of Plum was surprised on Tuesday morning as Pennsylvania's 2013 Milken Educator Award winner.
She is the state's 52nd recipient for the national award and the first in the Alle-Kiski Valley since the program's inception in 1987.
The awards program honors the top 1 percent of educators across the country. They receive a $25,000 cash prize and induction into the Milken Educator Network.
The network, with fewer than 2,600 inductees in more than 25 years of existence, helps steer K-12 curriculum nationwide with a commitment to reforming and strengthening public education. Tuesday's assembly marked the 23rd of fewer than 40 ceremonies to be held this year across America.
The assembly was held under the pretense that acting state Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq would deliver a speech on recent trends in education.
When Dumaresq instead helped present the award, the auditorium erupted in applause for a palpably emotional Nese.
“I'm so shocked!” Nese said, tears welling in her eyes. “There are at least 10 other people in this room who I thought would have received this award before me.”
Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards senior vice president, said Nese received the award for her innovative approach in the classroom, interdisciplinary teaching methods and dedication to extracurricular programs.
The Milken Family Foundation, from which the awards program originates, chose Nese from a list of finalists compiled by the state Education Department. The foundation does not accept nominations or applications for the award, but reviews recommendations submitted to the state from individual school districts. All teachers, principals and specialists K-12 are eligible, Foley said.
“Actors have the Oscars, athletes have the Olympics and educators have the Milken Educator Awards,” she said. “It's very prestigious, and we thought Meghan was the perfect choice.”
A 16-year educator, Nese is chairwoman of the high school's English Department and teaches pre-Advanced Placement and college preparatory English.
Between tutoring her students, volunteering for organizations such as the Rotary Club and serving on the teacher leadership group, Nese typically works 60 hours or more each week for the district, according to Matt Conner, assistant superintendent.
She often has been credited for her students' success beyond the high school ranks, he said.
“Some students and parents might complain about the rigor of her classes, but they're the same people coming back in four or five years saying she gave them the tools they needed to succeed,” Conner said.
Nese wants to leave behind a legacy of changing the way her students think. She works toward this goal by incorporating popular culture into her lessons as frequently as possible.
“I use Batman movies to teach my students about Romeo and Juliet,” she said. “Whenever you can get students' attention with something they're interested in and apply that to what you're teaching, it tends to resonate with them a little more.”
It's an approach, according to Dumaresq, that reflects the direction in which education is heading in a time of technological convergence.
“With the type of exposure to technology and instant gratification these kids have, a teacher standing in front of the room must feel very slow-moving,” Dumaresq said. “One of the things that Meghan does really well is using the modern tools at her disposal to her advantage to drive her lessons home.
“I'm proud of Meghan today, and I'm proud of the entire Burrell School District.”
Nese obtained a bachelor's degree in English from Allegheny College and a master's degree in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
How she will spend the cash prize has yet to be determined.
“I couldn't believe it when I heard $25,000,” she said. “It's a lot of money.”
Braden Ashe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4673 or bashe@tribweb.com.
