Santa Monica, Calif. (November 16, 2023) — Alexis Arias is a living example of Amistad High School’s SOAR attributes – Successful, Open-minded, Active learner and Respectful – and instills those same values in her students. Today, praise for Arias’ dedication to education soared to national acclaim when Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken surprised Arias with California’s sole 2023 Milken Educator Award at a schoolwide assembly. Arias is the first Award recipient in the Desert Sands Unified School District since 1993 (Retired PDHS Teacher Dennis Jory).
Arias received the prestigious honor before cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media. The Award comes with a $25,000 cash prize that recipients can use however they choose, as well as lifelong membership to the Milken Educator Network to collaborate with fellow recipients and broaden their impact on K-12 education.
“Virtually every successful individual can point to at least one talented educator whose knowledge, care and compassion encouraged them to make the most of life’s opportunities. For students at Amistad High School, Alexis Arias will be long remembered as a special leader and mentor,” said Lowell Milken. “Thank you, Alexis, for your dedication to the academic and personal growth of your students, and for making education your chosen profession.”
Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Awards will honor up to 75 recipients across the country in 2023-24 as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator. 2023-24 will reach $75 million in individual financial prizes spanning the length of the initiative and more than $144 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to “Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate” the K-12 profession and inspiring young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.
The Milken Educator Award is not a lifetime achievement honor. Recipients are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved – and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award.