A seemingly routine school assembly turned into a big surprise for Hersey High School social science teacher Brad Abel, who won the Milken Educator Award and $25,000 Wednesday morning.
After Milken Family Foundation co-founder Mike Milken announced the organization was honoring a teacher in the gym, Abel was still guessing which teacher when he heard his name called.
“I had no idea,” he said. “It is such an unbelievable honor. I was 100-percent, completely shocked.”
Students and staff gasped, cheered and stood up to applaud the human geography teacher.
The foundation honored Abel as an all-around educator. There is no formal application or nomination process. Instead the Milken Family Foundation relies on a state’s department of education to appoint a blue-ribbon committee to recommend candidates. Ideal candidates are in the early or middle parts of their careers and make exceptional accomplishments to the classroom and community that may go unheralded and that inspire students.
Abel’s wide range of work within the school brought him to the attention of the Milken Family Foundation.
“Whether it is in the classroom, on the soccer field, or in the community, Bradley Abel goes above and beyond to realize significant growth for all students,” said Lowell Milken, the foundation’s chairman and co-founder.
Abel has worked with a colleague to develop the Advanced Placement human geography curriculum, has been named a Coach of the Year in the Mid Suburban League three times as head coach of the girls’ varsity soccer team and participates in the school’s “Service Over Self,” the Special Olympics and Big Brother programs.
“Brad is a really talented teacher,” said Principal Tina Cantrell. “He is enthusiastic. He’s inclusive. He’s generous with this time. He has so much dedication.”
Abel said he was inspired to teach by his family, a line of teachers that includes both of his parents and his grandmother.
Abel is in his ninth year of teaching at the school, where he first got his start as a student teacher. He was trained by another Milken Educator Award recipient, Paul Kelly, who helped honor Abel on stage Wednesday by being one of the past recipients that slowly revealed how much money Abel won by flipping cards showing the $25,000 figure.
Between his parents and the staff at Hersey, Abel has learned that passion pays off.
“If you’re passionate about something, kids learn from that,” he said.
Human geography is the study of how humans interact with the earth, of culture and how environment impacts societies.
“Teaching kids shows me that they can be anything they want to be,” he added. “Honestly, it sounds very cliche, but these kids have so much depth to them.”
The awards program was created to recognize the importance of outstanding educators and encourage talented young people to enter the teaching profession. The California-based Milken Family Foundation has given out awards to 2,500 teachers and more than $63 million in award money.
Still stunned by the award, Abel is not sure what he’s going to do with the $25,000. But he said it’s not the cash that matters to him anyway.
“I’m not in the profession for recognition,” he said. “I hope in some small way to make some kind of a difference in a kid’s life and to teach them something applicable.”
