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The prestigious award is given annually
to teachers demonstrating exemplary teaching skills and personal
commitment to education. Each winner receives $25,000 from the
Milken Family Foundation. Winners can use the funds for any purpose.
Hall set out to make a career in the
world of communication and television production. While he achieved
success in the industry, he did not find it as fulfilling as he had
hoped. So, Hall made a life-changing decision to become a teacher,
and for the last eight years, he's taught at the Jacob Beidler
Elementary School in Chicago. Instead of teaching English or math,
Hall chose to teach children with special needs, believing he could
make a difference in their lives.
The influence he has had on his
students was evident Tuesday morning as he found himself in a
crowded school auditorium filled with students, teachers and
dignitaries, including Interim State Superintendent Randy Dunn and
District 299 Superintendent Arne Duncan. Lowell Milken, with the
Milken Family Foundation, made an announcement that demonstrated
what a difference this southwest-side teacher has made in the lives
of numerous students. Milken named Hall one of two Illinois 2004
Milken National Educator Award recipients.
Hall's mentoring skills provide
another avenue for him to reach out to students. He takes the time
to listen to them and work with them in whatever area they need
help. When asked about Hall's teaching, Beidler Principal Geraldine
Moore exclaimed, "One of his students had the highest Iowa test
scores in the school -- it doesn't get any better than that!"
A passion for teaching isn't
perceived only by Hall's students. His colleagues describe him as a
teacher who continuously sharpens his own knowledge and teaching
skills, which he then shares to help other teachers. He has a flair
for creating new ways to be successful. According to colleagues, his
enthusiasm inspires and motivates students and teachers alike.
Hall visits students' homes and
works closely with parents to encourage them help their children
become successful learners. He is well-known throughout the
community and coaches events for Special Olympics.
In Homewood, some may say that
Nathalie Mingo's desire to teach was destined by her gene pool. Her
father, Charles, was a teacher before becoming a principal, so Mingo
grew up watching her dad help students become successful learners.
At an early age, Mingo knew she wanted to follow his lead.
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Though she followed in her father's
footsteps, Mingo could never have imagined that 11 years after her
father was named a Milken National Educator, she, too, would receive
the same prestigious recognition. For the Mingo family, history
repeated itself Tuesday afternoon in the crowded gymnasium of Willow
Elementary School in Homewood.
Mingo has been a first-grade teacher
at Willow for eight years. School administrators have long noted her
love of education. Her colleagues credit her with consistently
sharing new strategies and creative ideas for improving teaching.
They say that Mingo's success as a teacher stems from her ability to
always find the positive in any situation. Other teachers look to
her for guidance, and she always provides them with innovative
techniques. Mingo firmly believes that through camaraderie, she will
ultimately achieve her goal -- helping all students become
successful learners.
"I love to visit her classroom -- I
always learn something!" said Melissa Lawson, assistant principal of
Willow.
Based on her own learning
experiences as a child, Mingo fully understands the necessity of
parental involvement in education. To that end, she makes weekly
folders for her students' parents so they are always aware of what
their child is studying and can help further that learning.
Mingo's boundless enthusiasm and
positive attitude have earned her the respect of her colleagues,
students, parents, administrators and the community. The success she
has in helping children read is practically legendary around the
district.
Mingo now joins 96 Illinois
educators to date -- including her father, who received the award in
1993 -- to be nationally recognized by the Milken Family Foundation.
This year, 100 teachers in 47 states
and the District of Columbia will receive Milken awards. To date,
the Milken Family Foundation has honored 2,077 teachers and
principals, distributing more than $51 million in awards.
[Illinois
State Board of Education news release]
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