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Richland One Teacher Is Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award Winner Peggy Makins, a teacher specialist at Burnside Elementary School, today was named as a recipient of the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award and its accompanying prize of $25,000. State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum made the surprise announcement during an assembly at Burnside Elementary School, where Makins had no idea that she was being considered for the honor. "I am shocked, very happy and truly humbled," she said after the announcement. She often tells her students that success is doing what you love and making money for doing it." Today’s award was her personal affirmation of success. Dubbed the "Oscars of Teaching" by Teacher Magazine, the Milken National Educator Awards were created in 1985 to reward, retain and attract top professionals to the nation’s schools. A total of 100 unsuspecting educators across the country will be surprised with the news of their $25,000 awards. Two South Carolina teachers will be honored. "I’m so proud of Ms. Makins,”" Tenenbaum said. "Research shows that having a top-notch teacher is the biggest single factor affecting student learning--and there’s no doubt that these two educators are making significant contributions to their students’ lives every single day." A 15-year veteran educator, Makins began her career in Richland One as a teacher at Atlas Road Elementary School. She subsequently taught at E.E. Taylor Elementary, Sarah Nance Elementary and Watkins-Nance Elementary. "I love Richland One," she said. "This is where I belong. I make a difference here. I have and will continue to do so." One of her favorite sayings is "it’s not how you start a race but how you end a race." "I come from very humble beginnings," she said. "But a long time ago I made a decision to be the best and set out to do that. It’s not enough to set goals, you have to put your goals into action." A graduate of Lander University, with a master’s degree from Columbia College, Makins was E.E. Taylor’s Teacher of the Year for 1995-96 and Watkins-Nance’s Teacher of the Year for 2001-02 and a finalist for Richland One Teacher of the Year in 2002. She is a participant in the STAR program, serves as Burnside’s volunteer coordinator and chairs the Black History Month Committee. She has five, consecutive years of perfect attendance in the district. Her professional affiliations include the Midlands Writing Project, MIMS Hub, S. C. Council for Exceptional Children, Palmetto Teachers Association, Richland One Teachers Forum and the S.C. Association of Black School Educators. She is a member of Brookland Baptist Church where she serves as a senior usher, Vacation Bible School teacher and Children’s Church speaker. Watkins-Nance Principal Dr. Evelyn Cohens
says that Makins "uses her motivational
skills to tremendous effect, whether she’s
working with children or adults." Parent
Melissa Sumpter describes Makins as a "kind
of miracle worker" and a "phenomenon." She
is "one of a Next summer, recipients from around the country and their spouses will travel to Los Angeles to attend the Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference, three days of workshops, discussion sessions and presentations by nationally recognized scholars and practitioners in the field of education. The Milken Education Conference will culminate in a gala evening ceremony at which the recipients will be honored and presented their $25,000 awards. Educators are recommended for this honor without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s department of education. Recipients of the Milken Educator Awards are selected on the basis of numerous criteria, including:
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