DeKalb High School business teacher receives Milken Educator Award, $25K prize

WATERLOO, Ind. (WPTA) – A DeKalb High School teacher was surprised with the Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize, during an assembly Friday.

Business teacher Ashley Johnson was given the prestigious national award by Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley and Indiana Department of Education Assistant Secretary Dr. Rebecca Estes.

Johnson’s work educating her students on financial literacy, connecting the classroom with the community and sharing her skills with fellow business educators is what led to her receiving the award.

“The business, entrepreneurship and finance lessons Ashley Johnson imparts on her students are invaluable,” Foley said. “By infusing real-life experiences and problem-solving into her classroom, she is preparing her students for success far beyond the classroom.”

“She is building skillsets to last a lifetime, in any endeavors students choose to pursue.”

Johnson joins a national network of more than 3,000 educators who have received the award, which is meant to celebrate the K-12 teaching profession and encourage others to pursue a career in teaching, in its almost 40-year history.

She is the second and final Hoosier recipient of the award for the 2024-2025 school year, according to a release. She is the 71st recipient in Indiana and the first recipient of the prize for the DeKalb County Central United School District since its inception.

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