Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Home News
Friday, Dec. 19, 2008 | 11:31 a.m.
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A Henderson principal today got the surprise of her lifetime.
At a morning assembly in front of hundreds of students, C.T. Sewell Principal Carrie Larson was shocked when it was announced that she was the recipient of a $25,000 award for being an outstanding educator.
The assembly had been organized to celebrate the school's empowerment status, which gives Larson more discretion with funding. The principal was about to speak about empowerment when the award was announced.
"I guess I'm a little slow," she said. "I guess I can throw away my speech."
The $25,000 award from the Milken Family Foundation is unrestricted, meaning Larson can do with it what she wishes.
"They don't get thanked enough. They don't get hugged enough," said Michael Milken, co-founder of the foundation. "So we need to give them an award."
Milken, Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Keith Rheault and Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Walt Rulffes were present for the ceremony.
A selection committee appointed by the Nevada Department of Education makes recommendations for recipients to the foundation. The members of the committee are not identified and recipients' names are kept secret until the award is presented at a school assembly. There is no formal nomination or application procedure.
Larson was selected, Milken said, because of her energy and dedication to Sewell's students.
Larson cried as she was given the award.
"I love each and every one of these kids," she said.
In addition to the award, Robert Maxson, former UNLV president who now is with the private Sierra Nevada College, asked Larson to choose one of her staff members to receive tuition for a master's degree in education at the new college.
According to the foundation, more than $60 million has been given to more than 2,300 teachers since the award was established in the 1980s. Since 1988, when the Silver State first started participating in the program, $2,050,000 has been awarded to Nevada educators.
Up to 80 award-winners from around the country will receive their checks in the spring at a conference in Los Angeles. This year, two Nevada educators are to be honored with the award. The other one was Gayle Magee of Empire Elementary School in Carson City.
Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or [email protected].