For Immediate Release: May 4, 2022
Contact: Charles Pyle (804) 371-2420
RICHMOND – A Virginia Beach middle school teacher and a York County elementary school teacher received $25,000 awards today from the Milken Family Foundation. Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera and Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop presented the awards during surprise assemblies at each winner’s school.
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week than to honor two truly outstanding Virginia teachers and join with their fellow teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members and students in celebrating their success and this wonderful recognition from the Milken Family Foundation,” Balow said. "Kimberly and Taylor make a difference in the lives of their students every day. They epitomize the selflessness, dedication, creativity and commitment to excellence of all of the Virginia teachers we celebrate and recognize this week.”
The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards reward teachers, principals and other education professionals who promote excellence and innovation in public education. The 2022 Virginia recipients are as follows:
- Kimberly Collins – An English teacher at Virginia Beach Middle School until this year, Collins now serves as the school’s first coordinator for AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a schoolwide program to prepare students for college and beyond. As a classroom teacher, Collins designs instructional plans that challenge students’ thinking and encourage them to take ownership of their learning. During the pandemic, she found creative ways to make sure students learning at home had consistent routines that mirrored in-class experiences and constantly sought feedback from students and parents about what was working. Collins earned a bachelor’s in K-8 education in 2009 from University of Maine at Farmington and a master’s in education in 2020 from Saint Joseph’s College.
- Taylor Goodson – Goodson challenges her third-grade students at Coventry Elementary School in Yorktown with higher-order thinking questions and creates lessons designed to engage and motivate. She is known for her skill in differentiating instruction by providing assistance to those who need extra instruction and designing enrichment activities for advanced students. Goodson uses assessment data to tailor instruction to students’ needs. As Coventry Elementary school developed its one-to-one technology program during the early months of the pandemic, Goodson created and distributed instructional packets to keep her students connected to learning. Goodson earned a Bachelor of Science in 2012 and a master’s degree in education in 2017 from Lynchburg College.
“I am thrilled to welcome two more Milken Educators from Virginia, as the commonwealth holds a special place in my heart,” said Bishop, who received a Milken Educator Award in 2001 while a theater teacher and the fine arts chair at Prince George High.
Collins and Goodson are the 46th and 47th Virginia educators to receive a Milken Educator Award. Since the launch of the Milken Educator Awards program in 1987, the Milken Family Foundation has distributed more than $70 million to more than 2,800 educators, including more than $1.1 million in Virginia.
# # #
