Surprise of a Lifetime

     On Tuesday, I attended an assembly at Waltham High where one unsuspecting teacher received the surprise of a lifetime. Dr. Jane Foley from the Milken Family Foundation in Santa Monica, California, and Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester were there to announce that history teacher Derek Vandegrift had been named a Milken Family Foundation National Educator. Derek became our state's thirty-ninth Milken Educator.

     Along with this prestigious award, Derek will receive a monetary award of twenty-five thousand dollars. Pictured above are Derek, Dr. Foley, Commissioner Mitchell and eight other veteran Milken Educators. It is always a great thrill to attend these notifications ceremonies as it brings back such wonderful memories of when I, too, received this surprise of a lifetime in 1999.
     To learn more about this award, please go to Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards.