A Jefferson Parish English teacher received the surprise of a lifetime today as she received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.
Sarah Watkins is an eighth grade English language arts teacher at Stella Worley Middle School in Westwego and was overcome with emotion when she learned that she was a recipient of this prestigious national accolade.
“I love my kids and I love teaching. They’re good kids. They’re super bright, they work hard, and that relationships are everything,” Watkins said.
The 2009 graduate from Dillard University has been teaching for 16 years. The Milken Educator Award winner is known for having lively academic discussions in her classroom where students are participating in civil debate.
“If you put in the work and you have a relationship with kids, they’re willing to give you everything they have. That’s the key to it,” Watkins explained.
Watkins says her classes are discussion based.
“I consider us the family, where they do a lot of the talking. I kind of just facilitate, try to keep them engaged as much as possible. And it’s fun,” Watkins noted.
Watkins is Louisiana’s 54th recipient since the Pelican State joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 2001.