Chaparral teacher gets Milken honor

Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2001 | 8:27 a.m.

Ruth Litterini, a 26-year education veteran and English teacher at Chaparral High School, is one of two Nevada teachers to receive a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award this year.

The award recognizes outstanding educators throughout the country. It also seeks to expand teachers' opportunities for professional growth and provide a national network with other Milken Award winners, with the goal of improving education.

The award includes a $25,000 cash prize that teachers can use at their own discretion, along with an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles in June 2002 for a national education conference. This year, awards totaling $3 million are being given to 120 winners in 44 states.

Litterini, who chairs Chaparral's 19-member English department, is also coach of the forensics team and has worked on numerous high school task forces, curriculum committees and staff development activities.

She received a bachelor's degree from Trinity College in Illinois and earned a master's degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Additionally, Litterini has 32 credits beyond her master's degree from Brigham Young University.

On Thursday officials will announce another Milken Award recipient from a rural Nevada school district.

The two Nevada teachers awarded this year brings to 68 the number of Milken Award recipients in the state since 1985, or a total of about $1.7 million.