Sarah Watkins sat on the bleachers with her students during an assembly at Worley Middle School in Westwego Tuesday to listen to what they thought would be a presentation about the school’s academic progress.

Instead, the crowd erupted into stunned cheers as officials announced that Watkins, who teaches 8th grade English at Worley, was the only educator in Louisiana this year to receive one of the highest national honors in teaching.

“This is one of the best educators in the entire country,” said Joshua Barnett, CEO of the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching, as colleagues helped a shocked Watkins to the podium to receive an oversized check.

Watkins is one of just 30 recipients across the country to receive the prestigious Milken Award for the 2025-26 school year. The distincti

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