By Katie Northcott, News Director
Holly Logan, Westwood Elementary School’s pre-K through fifth grade English Language Learner (ELL) teacher, was presented the Milken Educator Award at a school assembly on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Logan is the only educator in the state to receive the award this year. The award was a well-kept surprise. It includes national recognition, an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C., and $25,000.
According to the Milken Educator Award website, the award has been hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching.” The award will be given to only 30 teachers nationwide, this year.
A press release from the Milken Family Foundation is published below.
Holly Logan woke up this morning thinking today’s assembly at Westwood Elementary School would be a visit from Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds to commend students on their academic achievement. Imagine her surprise when Reynolds introduces a special guest to the crowd – now buzzing with anticipation. When National Institute for Excellence in Teaching CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett – representing the Milken Family Foundation – steps up to the mic, all becomes clear: this is a surprise Milken Educator Award assembly, and one educator’s life is about to change forever.
Logan, Westwood’s pre-K through fifth grade English language learner (ELL) teacher, is in complete shock when Dr. Barnett reveals that she is the newest member of the Milken Educator family. Surrounded by cheering colleagues, students, dignitaries and media, Logan accepts her Award, along with its unrestricted $25,000 cash prize.
“The support Holly Logan provides for English language learners at Westwood and beyond is invaluable,” said Dr. Barnett. “These students know that Holly is on their side—whether she is building confidence, teaching leadership skills, or ensuring families are included and uplifted. The Milken Educator Network will provide a powerful platform for Holly to elevate the great work being done in Manchester City Schools and broaden her impact on K-12 education.”
Logan is Tennessee’s 75th recipient since The Volunteer State joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1992. She is the sole Milken Educator Award recipient in Tennessee this 2025-26 school year and the first-ever recipient in Manchester City Schools.
“Congratulations to Holly Logan on receiving the Milken Educator Award and representing the state of Tennessee on a national level,” said Commissioner Reynolds. “This prestigious award is a testament to the impactful service and leadership she demonstrates to her students, community, and the educator profession.”
Today Logan joins a national network of over 3,000 Milken Educators spanning the Awards’ nearly 40-year history as the nation’s preeminent teacher-recognition program. Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Awards initiative has no formal application or nomination process. Outstanding K-12 educators are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved—and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award.
This season will reach more than $76 million in individual cash prizes since the Awards’ first presentation in 1987 and over $146 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to broaden their impact and encouraging young, capable people to consider a career in education.
More About Holly Logan
An Equitable Approach: Westwood Elementary School’s lead English language learner (ELL) teacher Holly Logan empowers students to thrive academically and socially. Through a thoughtful combination of instruction both inside and outside the classroom, she collaborates closely with fellow teachers to integrate high-quality instructional materials (HQIM)—creating rigorous, engaging and deeply meaningful learning experiences. This approach vividly came to life through her fourth-grade Lemonade Day project, where students applied entrepreneurship, financial literacy and collaboration skills while engaging families and community leaders, such as members of the local Chamber of Commerce. As a result of her efforts, students consistently demonstrate academic growth while increasing their confidence, resilience, self-respect, and intellectual curiosity.
Uplifting Her Team: Logan serves the school and district at large by training, supporting and mentoring fellow educators; coordinating testing; and providing translation services. Instrumental to the district’s adoption of the National Institute for Excellence of Teaching’s model for educator effectiveness, she serves on the school and district instructional leadership teams, participates in instructional walk-throughs, and supervises and leads paraprofessionals. Her leadership is marked by a collaborative spirit and commitment to continual learning, including traveling with her principal to learn from an exemplary school in Alabama and beginning a doctoral program in education last year.
Trustworthy Support: At the heart of Logan’s work is an unwavering dedication to students, families and the broader Manchester community. She maintains communication with Spanish-speaking families—even when students move schools or districts, helps lead family nights, conducts home visits, and participates in “We Care” events that provide families with school supplies, clothing, food, medical care, housing assistance and vision services. Logan is also active in communitywide suicide awareness and serves as a substitute cheerleading coach for elementary and middle school students. Her former students return to visit her, often seeking professional references or career advice.
Education: Logan earned a Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish from Tennessee Tech University in 2013 and a Master of Education in curriculum, instruction and educational leadership with a concentration in ESL from Middle Tennessee State University in 2018.
The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits
● The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
● Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs. Milken MeetUps abound across the nation to deepen learning and connection and expand innovation in education.
● The honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum June 12-14 in Washington, D.C., where they will network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders, about how to further develop their voice into roles that lead to real change.
● Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels.
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