FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2025
communications@doe.virginia.gov
Richmond, Va. – A Virginia educator from Montgomery County Public Schools has been recognized today as a recipient of the Milken Educator Award and honored for her commitment to education and the impact she has in her classroom and community. Anna Drew, a science teacher at Montgomery County’s Shawsville Middle School, was presented with the award today at a surprise assembly at her school.
“I am honored to congratulate Mrs. Drew on receiving the prestigious Milken Educator Award,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. “This honor is a testament to her unwavering dedication and passion, and her commitment to ensuring her students’ success. Mrs. Drew is an engaging educator who tirelessly prioritizes her students’ academic growth and achievements, a leader both in her school and her division, and a pillar in her community. We are fortunate to have such an outstanding educator in Virginia and I am proud to have her represent the Commonwealth. Congratulations on this remarkable achievement.”
Drew was awarded the Milken Educator Award at her school today by Stephanie Bishop, Milken Educator Awards Vice President, and Superintendent Coons. The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards reward teachers, principals, and other education professionals who promote excellence and innovation in public education. Recipients are selected based on multiple criteria related to instructional practice, leadership, student achievement, and accomplishments outside the classroom. Not designed as a lifetime achievement honor, recipients are heralded 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. The honor also includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize awarded to the recipients.
In addition to the cash reward, Drew will join the Milken Educator Network, a group of distinguished educators and leaders from across the country, whose expertise and mentorship serve as a valuable resource to fellow educators, legislators, school boards, and others shaping the future of education. Recipients are invited to participate actively in their state Milken Educator Networks, collaborate with education leaders and stakeholders, and receive robust mentoring through the Milken Educator Awards to prepare for ongoing leadership opportunities.
Since the launch of the Milken Educator Awards program in 1987, the Milken Family Foundation has distributed more than $75 million in individual financial prizes to over 3,000 educators, including $1.3 million in Virginia.
Honoree Information
Anna Drew: Anna Drew is a science teacher at Shawsville Middle School in Montgomery County Public Schools. Drew’s enthusiasm for science is contagious. She engages students in hands-on activities to bring science to life; guides her students in setting goals based on prior performance data and work, delivers tailored curricula to meet their individual needs, and helps them track progress throughout the year; and extends her commitment and leadership beyond the classroom. As the seventh-grade team leader and science department head, Drew mentors new teachers, participates on the instructional leadership committee and school improvement committee as well as serves as the Section 504 plan coordinator, and is active in positive behavioral intervention and supports. At the division level, Drew is a member of the science curriculum development committee and helped to design a comprehensive remediation and intervention program, which resulted in positive increases in middle school science outcomes. An active member of her community, Drew partners with Angel Tree as part of her sponsorship of the Junior Beta Club to provide Christmas gifts to students in need. She also coaches the school’s volleyball and track teams and often holds open gym in the evenings and weekends for the school’s teens. You can also find her tutoring students after school through her volunteer work with the local Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Virginia. Drew’s lasting impact is demonstrated by the many former students who regularly return to visit her classroom.
Drew is a two-time graduate of Virginia Tech, earning her bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2016 and her Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction in 2017.
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