Eva Irwin, third from left, is the first ACPS teacher to receive the prestigious Milken Educator Award. She teaches English at Alexandria City High School.
At Alexandria City High School on Tuesday, rumors were flying. Some students were speculating that the president was going to visit. Others suggested Denzel Washington. One thing was for sure — there were a lot more TV cameras than usual when the student body gathered for an assembly.
That’s when Eva Irwin, an English teacher at ACHS, got the surprise of a lifetime. As students and staff applauded, she became the first teacher in the district to receive the Milken Educator Award, an honor that has been nicknamed the “Oscars of teaching.”
Irwin has only been teaching at ACHS since 2022, but she has left her mark. According to a press release from the Milken Family Foundation, her “intentionality, positivity, enthusiasm, and solutions-oriented approach help her meet the individual needs of students both in her classroom and throughout the school.” Her impact is even reflected in the data — in her first year, 82% of students passed the state writing exam, compared to 68% the year before.
Irwin is one of 75 educators who will receive the award, which aims to encourage early to mid-career teachers, nationwide this year. After this year, the Milken Family Foundation will have given away 3,000 awards since 1987.
The Milken Educator Award recipients receive a $25,000 prize and gain access to professional development opportunities and mentorship through the Milken Educator network. Irwin plans to use her prize money to pay for her recently-completed master’s degree in educational leadership and policy.
Founder Lowell Milken visited Alexandria to present this award. In addition to his generous philanthropy, Milken is a graduate of UCLA law school who chairs National Realty Trust and London-based Heron International. The Milken Family Foundation is a private foundation that supports education through efforts like education research, charities and initiatives.
Milken is only able to attend about a dozen presentation events each year, so he enjoys getting the opportunity to meet teachers and students. The most important function of this award, Milken says, is to encourage teachers in what can sometimes be a challenging job.
“We're trying to say to teachers that your role is so critical to the future of our country. We're dependent on you preparing those students to assume leadership roles,” Milken said. “I think we just have to constantly reinforce to teachers how important their role is despite all the challenges that our students face today.”
