November 2007 News
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Marilyn Garza, Santa Barbara Junior High Teacher, Recipient of $25,000 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award
This morning, during a school-wide assembly at Santa Barbara Junior High School, students and staff were surprised when the co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation unexpectedly presented eighth-grade math and physical science teacher Marilyn Garza with a prestigious $25,000 Milken National Educator Award. The financial award is unrestricted. Lowell Milken, chairman and co-founder of the foundation, presented the award as Milken Foundation board member Rosey Grier, State Superintendent Jack O’Connell, Superintendent Brian Sarvis, Assemblymember Pedro Nava, school board members, Principal John Becchio, and several dignitaries joined the standing ovation to honor the highly-respected teacher. It is one of approximately 80 awards that the foundation will distribute this year.
The Milken Family Foundation was founded in 1982 and is dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 education. According to their mission statement, “The purpose of the Milken Family Foundation is to discover and advance inventive and effective ways of helping people help themselves and those around them lead productive and satisfying lives. The Foundation advances this mission primarily through its work in education and medical research.” One of the ways the foundation works to strengthen and advance the teaching profession is by recognizing and rewarding outstanding educators. Candidates are selected from recommendations made by independent blue-ribbon committees. Once selected, recipients are honored at the Milken National Education Conference, where they work with leaders from education, government, business, and the community on ways to improve education and strengthen state and national networks of exemplary teachers.
Marilyn Garza is a 2007-08 Santa Barbara County Distinguished Educator, a category in the county’s Teacher of the Year awards program. She has been at Santa Barbara Junior High School for 11 years.
Ms. Garza received a bachelor’s degree in materials science engineering from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in education, as well as a teaching credential, from UC Santa Barbara. Her involvement in education programs, trainings, and research include serving as a BTSA mentor for beginning science teachers; participating in the South Coast Science Institute and the Research Experience for Teachers program; GATE training and conferences on closing the achievement gap; and the Science Partnership for School Innovation, to name a few.
Santa Barbara Junior High teacher Marilyn Garza, winner of a
$25,000 Milken Family Foundation Educator Award, with some
of her students.