(Photo credit: Milken Family Foundation)

At Jessie Beck Elementary School in Nevada’s Washoe County School District, fourth-grade teacher Allie Galas strives to make her classroom inclusive, positive, safe, and engaging by empowering students to take ownership of their learning. She encourages students to lead classroom discussions and lessons, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

Galas is recognized for promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills through restorative problem-solving and hands-on projects. In her classroom, she guides students through CUBES (Circle, Underline, Box, Evaluate, Solve) math strategies, encouraging them to work together to find the right solution and check their answers. Her efforts have contributed to consistent growth in her students’ progress in math and English Language Arts (ELA).

For her dedication to creating an engaging learning environment, Galas has received the 2024-25 Milken Educator Award, joining a network of over 3,000 educators. She is the 94th recipient from Nevada since the state joined the Milken Educator Awards initiative in 1988.

Known as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the national award uplifts unique stories of educators taking strides to make a difference for students and colleagues in their communities. Sponsored by the Milken Family Foundation, the award includes a $25,000 cash prize for early to mid-career educators.

Galas is one of four urban school educators honored this year. Other recipients include Vanessa Smith, a teacher from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; Kristy Inamasu, a teacher from Hawaii; and Ariel Horton, an assistant principal from the District of Columbia Public Schools.