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Milken Educator Awards

Outstanding educators who continue to learn are essential to the fostering of student growth, the improvement of schools, and the enhancement of the education profession.

2024 Alaska Milken Educator – Emily Snyder

Emily Snyder.

In the small, rural town of Nenana, Alaska, Emily Snyder is making an enormous impact. A Reading Specialist and Instructional Coach at Nenana City School, Snyder’s efforts in the classroom contribute significantly to the high-quality education Nenana students receive on a daily basis. Applying her deep pedagogical knowledge and data-driven, evidence-based instructional strategies, she is skilled at creating engaging lessons tailored to student needs. Through her role as a district reading specialist, Snyder follows scientific-based reading curricula, University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) Foundations of Literacy, and implements a daily reading routine in classrooms. With clear learning intentions and success criteria, her students take ownership of their learning at an early age, understanding their expectations and making real-life connections between the academic concepts and today’s world.

Snyder has a strong growth mindset for herself, her school, and her district through Nenana’s alignment with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s (NIET) systems for educator excellence, leadership and professional development. She serves as a teacher leader on her school’s instructional leadership team, guides the district’s outreach efforts for family literacy, and helms Nenana’s elementary-level Response to Intervention (RTI) program. Snyder has attended conferences, such as the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium, and has co-presented at the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant convening. Snyder shares her deep knowledge in technology, UFLI, and data-analysis through mentoring student teachers, modeling lessons for colleagues and participating on the school’s professional learning community committee.

After school, Snyder provides reading help to students in need. She is a fixture in Nenana’s tight-knit community, building strong relationships with students and their families. In addition to her organization of field trips, Snyder coordinates a monthly literacy café event for students and parents.

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Recent Alaska Milken Educators

  • 2023 - Megan Eielers, Health Occupations Teacher, Hutchison High School, Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District
  • 2021 - Temperance Tinker Kays, English Language Arts Teacher, West Anchorage High School, Anchorage School District
  • 2019 - Rebecca Missler, Science Teacher, North Pole High School, Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District
  • 2017 - Valerie Baalerud, History Teacher, Eagle River High School, Anchorage School District
  • 2016 - Paul Campbell, 1st and 2nd Grade Teacher, Chester Valley Elementary School, Anchorage School District
  • 2014 - Jenna White, Physical Education Teacher, Orion Elementary School, Anchorage School District
  • 2013 - Molly Yerkes, Principal, Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School, Juneau School District
  • 2011 - Matthew Elfstrom, Math and Science Teacher, Romig Middle School, Anchorage School District

All Alaska Milken Educators Profiles

About the Milken Educator Award

The Milken Family Foundation, in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, sponsors the Milken Educator Awards program. Alaska has participated in the program since 1990. Since then more than 65 Alaska teachers and principals have received the honor. In addition, 44 other states also team up with the Milken Family Foundation to honor educators annually. The program recognizes both elementary and secondary educators, but annually alternates the award program between both groups. The program’s goal is to elevate the education profession by increasing public recognition and support of outstanding educators.

Following guidelines established by the Milken Foundation, the Department of Education & Early Development sets up a process to identify and evaluate educators for the award. The department then appoints a blue ribbon review team to make final recommendations. The Milken organization makes the final selections based on the team’s recommendations. The program includes neither an application nor a nomination procedure. Predetermined criteria for the award include expert pedagogy; distinguished achievement in developing innovative curricula; outstanding ability to instill students with sound values; and commitment to professional development and excellence.