Kristie Clark, a 20-year teaching veteran and Lincoln Academy graduate, recently received one of the nation’s preeminent teaching awards, The Milken Family Foundation’s National Educator Award for excellence in teaching.
Clark, a second-grade teacher at Montello Elementary School in Lewiston, lives in Reedfield with her husband, Bob Clark, and two sons, Bailey, an eighth-grader at Maranacook Middle School, and Robby, a senior at Maranacook High School.
“This is exciting and a complete surprise,” Clark said. “I work with so many amazing educators; any of them could have won.”
The award comes with a $25,000 cash prize, part of which Clark said she will use to create a scholarship fund for former Montello students, and part of which will be used to help pay for her son Robby’s college tuition.
Clark thanked the Milken Family Foundation for giving her the award and her family for supporting her throughout the years. She hopes that she can inspire more people to consider teaching.
“We need more excellent teachers,” Clark said. “We need children to know that teaching is a wonderful profession and gives you the chance to change lives and make a difference.”
Clark acknowledged that she’s had to work hard throughout the years to get where she is – often working nights and weekends to prepare for her classes – but said that the rewards are worth the effort.
“I have a passion for teaching,” she said. “I have an ability to get kids to believe in themselves.”
She said she’s always wanted to be a teacher and recalled setting up her toys when she was young and leading them through their lessons.
“It’s important for kids to have goals and to stay in school,” Clark said. “I had a fourth-grade teacher in Virginia Beach that made me love school. I’ve always wanted to be that teacher for my kids.”
At Montello, Clark is faced with challenges every day, which is what makes her work so rewarding, she said.
Many of her students are English language learners and some come from difficult home situations, she said.
“I’m always focused on my children and getting them ready for third grade,” Clark said. “A lot of my job is letting them know that school is a safe place, where they can make mistakes, and that I’m not going to give up on them.”
Clark said the week following her receipt of the award has been hectic “with everybody calling with their well wishes and the calls from former Milken winners,” but Clark has no plans to change direction or let the award alter her work.
“I’m just still teaching and trying to do what I’ve always done,” she said.