Youngstown science teacher makes hometown history with $25,000 Milken Educator Award

Kimberly Alexander Carlo surprised with first-ever Milken Educator Award in Lewiston-Porter Central School District

By the Milken Family Foundation 

At Lewiston-Porter Middle School, Kimberly Alexander Carlo and her seventh grade science students are usually hard at work piecing together hypotheses and conducting thrilling, hands-on classroom experiments. However, today’s all-school assembly derailed their plans – in a good way.

A school visit from New York State Education Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa quickly turned into an exciting surprise celebration for Alexander Carlo, the first educator in Lewiston-Porter Central School District history to receive the prestigious national Milken Educator Award.

Milken Educator Awards Senior Program Director Greg Gallagher was joined by Rosa to present Alexander Carlo with the honor before cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries and media. The award recognizes outstanding K-12 educators nationwide for their excellence and leadership in the profession, and provides recipients with an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize to match the significance of their job.

“Kimberly Alexander Carlo’s lifelong love of learning is inspiring the next generation of young scientists,” Gallagher said. “Her breadth of knowledge, contributions to the profession at large, and commitment to both professional and personal growth make her a deserving recipient of this award. Welcome to the Milken Educator Network, Kimberly.”

Alexander Carlo is the sole New York Milken Educator Award recipient this season and is one of up to 75 recipients across the county who will be honored in 2023-24 as part of the Milken Family Foundation‘s “Journey to the 3,000th Milken Educator.”

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” 2023-24 will reach $75 million in individual financial prizes spanning the length of the initiative and more than $144 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to “Celebrate, Elevate, and Activate” the K-12 profession and inspiring young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.

Board of Regents Chancellor Dr. Lester W. Young Jr. said, “I am thrilled to extend congratulations to Kimberly Alexander Carlo on being awarded the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Mrs. Alexander Carlo has demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation and impact on her school community. She exemplifies the transformative power of dedicated teachers who light the way for students from all walks of life; and her impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the trajectory of countless lives and inspiring a generation to reach for their highest potential. Today, we celebrate Mrs. Alexander Carlo and thank her for her commitment to New York's students.”

Rosa said, “At the New York State Education Department, our mission is to inspire and ignite meaningful teaching and learning, and today we look to Kimberly Alexander Carlo as the embodiment of this mission. Mrs. Alexander Carlo's dedication, innovation and passion for education are an inspiration for her students and colleagues alike. This recognition is a testament to her exceptional contributions to the field of education and to her commitment to the educational community where her own educational journey began. Congratulations, Kimberly, and thank you to the Milken Family Foundation for bestowing this award to one of New York's world-class educators.”

Alexander Carlo was completely unaware of her candidacy for the award. Recipients are sought out 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.

Lewiston-Porter Central School District Superintendent Paul Casseri introduces some of the dignitaries joining the assembly. (Photo credit: Milken Family Foundation)

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More About Kimberly Alexander Carlo

•All-around exciting instruction: Curiosity is always brewing at Lewiston-Porter Middle School, where Alexander Carlo’s students are constantly immersed in exciting, collaborative hands-on experiments. Effectively weaving Next Generation Science Standards and Argument-Driven Inquiry labs into curriculum, students explore the world of science up close and personal by developing, assessing and adjusting their own hypotheses using evidence from experiments with self-made cars, batteries and copper wiring. Alexander Carlo often utilizes practices from the Institute for Habits of Mind to guide students through their daily lessons. Dedicated to providing differentiated instruction, she accommodates students’ individual needs and recommends those who excel for an advanced eighth grade earth science course the next year.

•Incorporating invigorating initiatives: Alexander Carlo helped establish a CREW program at Lew-Port, a daily social and emotional learning (SEL) block built into students’ schedules. As a member of the CREW committee, she contributes to curriculum integrating SEL practices, state benchmarks and Habits of Mind. Alexander Carlo also serves as a middle school liaison for the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee, as well as a member of the restorative practices committee, and assists in providing professional development for her colleagues. Working to further her own knowledge, Alexander Carlo is a member of the American Educational Research Association, as well as the New York State Master Teacher Program and Science Teachers Association. She has presented at a statewide conference on research-supported instructional practices and has participated in guest speaking opportunities and panel presentations at Niagara University, her alma mater. Additionally, Alexander Carlo has shared her research and insights on instruction in published articles and co-authoring a book.

•Shining as a local leader: As valedictorian of the Lewiston-Porter High School Class of 2011, Alexander Carlo now works alongside many of the teachers who mentored her over the years. She is dedicated to schoolwide student success, maintaining strong relationships with families, and leading parent teacher conferences. Alexander Carlo is a peer coordinator for the sixth through eighth grade science department and provides students with upper-level high school class tutoring. She helped students form the “Lancer Peacekeepers” club, intended for Lew-Port bullying prevention. During the summers, Alexander Carlo works at a summer camp she once attended.

•Education: Alexander Carlo is a graduate of Niagara University. She earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a coordinate in environmental studies in 2015 and a Master of Science in middle childhood and adolescent education in 2017.

Lewiston-Porter Middle School Principal Andrew M. Auer kicks off the assembly. (Photo credit: Milken Family Foundation)

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More about the Milken Educator Award Journey: ‘The Future Belongs to the Educated’

√ The honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in June 2024, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.

√ Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around a specific topic area; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to tackle pressing educational needs.

√ Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.

√ The $25,000 cash award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.

Follow the Milken Educator Awards tour and use the #MEA3K and #MilkenAward hashtags on: Facebook (MilkenEducatorAwards)| X (Milken)| YouTube (MilkenAward)| Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn)| LinkedIn (MilkenFamilyFdn)| TikTok (MilkenAward).

Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at 310-570-4772 for more information.

More About the Milken Educator Awards

The first Milken Educator Awards were presented by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987. Created by Lowell Milken, the awards provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and specialists from around the country who are furthering excellence in education. Recipients are heralded in early to mid-career for what they have achieved and for the promise of what they will accomplish.

The Milken Family Foundation celebrates more than 40 years of elevating education in America and around the world. Learn more at MFF.org.

Lewiston-Porter Middle School students sing the national anthem. (Photo credit: Milken Family Foundation)