LEROY — Stephanie Johnson, a seventh grade teacher at Pine River Middle School, received the 2025-26 Michigan Milken Educator Award during a surprise assembly on Friday. The honor, frequently called the “Oscars of Teaching,” includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize.
The award recognizes early to mid-career educators for their professional achievements and the promise of their future contributions to the field of education. Michigan Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Sue Carnell joined national representatives to surprise Johnson at the school, which is located in LeRoy.
Jennifer Fuller, the vice president of the Milken Educator Awards, traveled from California to present the award during an all-school assembly. Fuller, who was a 2017 Texas Milken Educator, noted that Johnson is the 93rd recipient from Michigan since the state joined the program in 1990. “Johnson’s unwavering dedication to everything she does at Pine River Middle School highlights the depth of her commitment to her students, colleagues and this community,” Fuller said. “Her innovative curriculum, focus on data and involvement in school leadership advance excellence and inspire students to take charge of their learning.”
In her seventh grade English language arts classroom, Johnson utilizes data-driven instruction and creative lesson plans, including a debate focused on Edgar Allan Poe and a Holocaust book study. These methods have resulted in 99.47% of her students meeting their growth targets. After identifying a deficiency in informational literacy at the school, she created a specific class to address the gap, which led to steady test score improvements in the sixth and seventh grades.
Beyond her teaching duties, Johnson serves on the school and district improvement teams and acts as the seventh grade lead and department chair. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Glenn Maleyko recognized her for her commitment to the school community and her creative approach to education. “I am proud that Johnson is representing Michigan’s outstanding educators as a winner of a Milken Educator Award,” Maleyko said. “I enjoyed learning about her dedication to putting her Students First, her creativity in teaching English language arts and her reputation for being one of the last people to leave school events.”
Johnson is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English education in 2011 and a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2021. She lives in the Pine River community and has children who attend school within the district. Her school, Pine River Middle School, is located in Osceola County and serves 274 students in grades four through seven.
The Milken Educator Award includes mentorship opportunities through programs such as Milken Friends Forever, which pairs new recipients with veteran educators. The $25,000 cash prize is unrestricted, allowing winners to use the funds for personal or professional needs. Past recipients have used the prize for continuing education, establishing scholarships or financing field trips.
Johnson will attend the Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14. The all-expenses-paid event provides an opportunity for new winners to network with veteran Milken Educators and other national education leaders.
Johnson will attend the Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14. The all-expenses-paid event provides an opportunity for new winners to network with veteran Milken Educators and other national education leaders.