Tracy Espiritu, teacher at Dr. Albert Einstein Academy School No. 29. in Elizabeth, receives national award today.
This morning, during a special school assembly, Philanthropist Mike Milken announced to students that one of their teachers had been chosen to receive the Milken Educator Award, a $25,000 prize given to exemplary elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and specialists.
Espiritu among coordinating numerous events, she created the Einstein Astronaut after-school program, teaching students in grades five through eight about space exploration.
“We give Grammys to musicians, gold medals to Olympians, Nobels to scientists and others. But we give too little recognition to the people with society’s most important job: educators. Nothing assures the success of a nation more than education, and nothing assures the quality of education more than dedicated classroom teachers instilling a love of learning and sense of wonder in their students," according to the Milken Family Foundation.
Espiritu today is one of 40 educators nationwide to receive this award this year.
Photo: Elizabeth Public School