North Kingstown Educator Wins 'Oscars Of Teaching'

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A North Kingstown teacher received an award from a national nonprofit recognizing her as one of the best in the nation.

In a surprise assembly Tuesday, Malaree Shields, a science teacher at North Kingstown High School, received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for her work sending STEM students to new heights.

Shields' collaborative classroom encourages students to work together on exciting hands-on projects and creative learning experiences. She incorporates real-life applications in her lessons to better prepare students for their future careers.

Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos and Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green joined Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Jane Foley to surprise Shields with the national honor, which includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Cheering students, colleagues, dignitaries, and media lit up the gymnasium once they realized the true purpose of the gathering.

"Malaree Shields is an innovator and role model for aspiring STEM students," Foley, who is also a 1994 Indiana Milken Educator, said. "Her ability to adapt lessons to serve all learners shows an unwavering commitment to student success. I am thrilled to watch Malaree continue to grow as an educator. Her contributions will be a valued asset to the Milken Educator Network and the profession at large."

Shields will join a national network of more than 2,900 Milken Educators and education leaders across the U.S. She is among 75 educators nationwide who will receive the recognition during the school year.

"A Rhode Island high school graduate herself, we are tremendously grateful Malaree Shields is elevating the teaching profession and enriching the lives of Rhode Island students every day," Infante-Green said. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to her as she joins the esteemed ranks of Milken Educator Award recipients, a testament to her exceptional dedication and impact."

Hailed as the "Oscars of Teaching," the Milken Educator Awards celebrate the unique stories of educators making a difference in their students' lives. The awards are not designated for lifetime achievement. Recipients are heralded while early to mid-career for what they have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities inherent in the award.

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