A southern Missouri middle school teacher has received a national teacher recognition award. Dallas DeWeese, a social studies teacher in Hollister, becomes his district’s first Milken Educator Award winner.
Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards are designed to inspire educators, students and entire communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career.
The news is still sinking in for Mr. DeWeese.
“I was shocked. At first, I was speechless. I was just in disbelief, because we have a lot of good educators here at the building,” he said.
DeWeese has been teaching for seven years – all seven years have been at Hollister.
He told Missourinet why he enjoys teaching.
“It really is the kids, especially middle school kids. You never know what you’re going to get on a given day, and it’s so funny. Just being able to have the opportunity to make an impact, whether it’s educationally, helping them with social skills, helping them with life skills, I think it’s been one of my favorite opportunities this year.”
DeWeese said his mom, a career educator, gave him the teacher bug.
“She goes, ‘You have a natural gift with kids. You’re really good at social studies. I think that’s the route you need to go,’” he said.
DeWeese is Missouri’s 55th Milken Educator Award winner.
He said he is still deciding what he will do with the $25,000 prize.
As an award winner, DeWeese will receive mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in April 2025, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.
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