Stephanie Johnson isn’t your typical teacher, and that’s not just because she’s this year’s recipient of the Milken Educator Award, otherwise known as the “Oscar of Teaching.”
As a seventh-grade English teacher at Pine River Middle School in LeRoy, Johnson does what she can to capture students’ interest with her lesson plan—whether that’s dressing up as historical figures during a unit on Shakespeare or giving students opportunities to listen to stories of Michiganders with family members who were Holocaust survivors at the Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills.
“We really have to make it relevant to them. Motivation dips in middle school for students—reading and writing is not always at the top of their priority list when they’ve got other activities and things to engage them,” said Johnson. She says she wants to teach students to find the human element within literature and give them the tools to learn about time periods and people who matter to them, which has helped students become more engaged in class.
“Anything that I can do to make what we’re doing in class meaningful and go beyond seventh-grade English, something that they can take with them after my classes, is always a goal for me,” she said.
Johnson’s passion for student success extends beyond her classroom. She also serves on several school improvement committees across her district and volunteers to mentor new teachers—all to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed.
“In a small community like ours, schools are the heartbeat of our community, and education is that opportunity for students to grow up into the people they want to be and to have the opportunities they want,” said Johnson. “[Teachers] want to help the kids that are coming into our buildings to develop and grow as great thinkers.”
Johnson’s impact on students and the school district has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, during a special school assembly, Johnson received the 2025-26 Milken Educator Award, a national honor rewarding one educator from each state across the US for their impact on their local communities, along with a $25,000 check. Johnson is the 93rd teacher from Michigan to receive this award since the Great Lakes State joined the program in 1990, and will be connected to a network of over 3,000 Milken Educators who have received the same honor since the organization’s inception in 1987.
“I was completely blown away,” said Johnson, remembering the shock of hearing her name called by Jennifer Fuller, vice president of the Milken Educator Awards, as well as the roar of applause from students and staff sitting beside her in the crowd.
“It was completely surreal. I think that there are so many teachers out there who work hard, and our biggest reward is seeing our students go out and be successful human beings in the work, but it feels great to be recognized,” said Johnson.
Along with praise from Michigan’s top education leaders—including Chief Deputy Superintendent Dr. Sue Carnell and State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko, Johnson’s own students also believe she was more than deserving of the award.
“I definitely thought she deserved it. She definitely works hard and shows appreciation to all of her students,” said Brilynn L, a seventh grader at Pine River Middle School, after the assembly.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day or anything like that…She has patience with everyone and makes sure she helps you.”
Preparing the next generation
While Johnson is grateful to receive this year’s award, she knows the work to ensure future generations of students have access to a quality education is far from over, especially as Michigan continues to struggle with teacher retention amidst a global teacher shortage.
Hoping to ease financial burdens for prospective students interested in becoming educators, Johnson is using the prize money she received to create a scholarship to support future teachers in Osceola County.
“It’s kind of a ‘grow your own’ kind of idea where, if there are local students who are interested in education, giving them a scholarship can help them make that dream come true—and there’s a possibility that they’ll come back and teach in our local schools,” said Johnson, adding that many of her colleagues are graduates from Pine River or one of the area schools.
Through a fund set up with the Fremont Area Community Foundation, Johnson said her prize money should generate a $1,000 annual scholarship, with the first recipient being chosen in 2027. The recipient must be a graduating senior from Osceola County and majoring in elementary or secondary education. Johnson said that if no graduating senior applies, the scholarship could be opened to current college students who graduated from an Osceola County school district and are majoring in elementary or secondary education.
“If there’s anything I can do to make that choice of becoming a teacher a little easier, or ease that financial burden on someone who’s considering it, that’s what I want to do,” said Johnson.
In addition to creating the scholarship, Johnson says she’s looking forward to connecting with other educators who have received the Milken Award and discussing ideas for improving education.
“I see the literacy needs that our middle school students have that sometimes aren’t addressed because a lot of our Title I funding is targeted towards our younger readers,” Johnson said.
“We need to continue to find ways to make education better, and to continue to support teachers and students. I know it sounds cliché, but they really are our future.”
Related: Brighter days are ahead for students in the Eastern Upper Peninsula
