EDUCATION:

Out of the blue, local principal gets national award, big check

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 | 2 a.m.

MONA SHIELD PAYNE / HENDERSON HOME NEWS

C.T. Sewell Elementary Principal Carrie Larson accepts the National Educator Award — and $25,000 — Friday morning. Larson did not know she was in the running for the prize.

C.T. Sewell Elementary School Principal Carrie Larson had never seen a check this size — a 25 with three zeros behind it.

Principal Wins $25,000 Award

Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player

C.T. Sewell Principal Carrie Larson was surprised by the Milken Family Foundation with a $25,000 award for her work as an educator.

Milken surprises teachers with awards (10-21-2004)
Class act: High school teacher wins Milken award and $25,000 (10-17-2003)
Third grade teacher wins $25,000 Milken award (10-31-2008)

Milken Family Foundation

When she was handed the check on Friday during an assembly at the Henderson school, her mouth dropped and her eyes welled up with tears.

Larson, 37, received this year’s Milken National Educator Award, which brings with it a $25,000 prize, no strings attached.

It’s like being crowned Miss Nevada or winning an Olympic gold medal, former recipients say — with one key difference. As with the Nobel Prize or the MacArthur Fellowship — known as the genius award — winners never know they are in the running. There is no nomination process.

Frank Lamping, who won the award in 1993, called it “an educator’s dream come true.” He now has a school named after him.

Early next year there will be an Academy Awards-style ceremony, and Larson will be there with as many as 80 other winners.

So what makes a $25,000 educator?

Energy, dedication and, in Larson’s case, results, said Michael Milken, the philanthropist who came to an assembly at the school Friday as the mysterious “Mr. Taylor” to present the award.

At Sewell, under Larson’s three-year tenure, scores on standardized test scores have gone up 20 percent and the school has earned empowerment status, which provides additional funding and gives Larson more discretion in how it is used.

She often works early mornings and late evenings, and always reiterates her love for her students, even on the hard days.

Recipients are chosen by a secret committee that looks into candidates’ backgrounds for more than a year.

“We have to make sure we choose the right person,” Milken said. “It has to be someone that others look at and say, ‘If it wasn’t me, at least it was them.’ ”

What does a top-notch educator do with $25,000?

Start a college fund for her two sons, 8 and 15 years old, she said.

And, she said, “Golly, it’s Christmastime!”

A version of this story will appear in the Home News on Thursday.

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or at frances

.vanderploeg@hbcpub.com.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By CCSDTeacher

12/20/08 at 8:59 a.m.

Suggest removal

Let's not forget that TEACHERS made this event happen.... I guess the only thing that this principal should do is hand over this money to the TEACHERS who really did the hard work..... Just a thought.....
By TXART

12/20/08 at 3:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

CCSDTeacher thinks the teachers should get it. I think I should get my bosses' bonus too! If this had all happened in just one teacher's classroom, then that teacher should get it. This was a school-wide accomplishment. If the scores school-wide had gone down, should all the teachers be fired? I'm sure the principal would get the blame. There's an old army axiom which goes: "The commander is responsible for everything the unit does or fails to do." Therefore; the principal gets the money.
By dawnreeder

4/8/09 at 4:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

Ok first of all...Carrie Larson is an amazing woman. My son was a student of Mrs. Larson's in first grade and He is about to graduate High school this year. She touches the lives of so many people, not only as a teacher or principle but for the way she truly cares about her students.She was my sons teacher when he was 6 yrs. old, and he is now 18. While we were filling out invitations to his graduation, all he wanted to know was.."Can I send an invitation to Mrs.Larson" I think it says something about a Lady when she can leave an impact like that on a childs life that he remembers everything she did for him at the age of 6. My son is attending law school this fall,and I truly believe that Mrs. Larson is the teacher responsible for his academic success. And I am sorry But there are good teachers and there are THE BEST, and as to the above comment: Carrie Larson is the best and she deserves any and all recognition she recieves. If you were as good as she is, you would be getting the check,Maybe you should evaluate your skills and take some notes from Carrie.and stop trying to take the ladies check..she worked for it and she earned it and in my book she is worth way more than 25,000 dollars..GO MRS. LARSON WE LOVE YOU