Secaucus Teacher Wins Prestigious Award, $25,000

SECAUCUS, NJ — A teacher in the Secaucus public school system was shocked this week to receive an extremely prestigious award, as well as $25,000. Known as the "Oscars of education,” the Milken Educator Award is given each year to 44 public school teachers across the country.

This past Tuesday, Secaucus Middle School math teacher Toni Ann Palmisano was awarded the honor.

Teachers do not apply for the Milken Educator Award, and they do not know if they have been nominated for consideration. Palmisano, pictured below, was apparently shocked when she was told she received the award at an assembly Tuesday.

Palmisano is credited with helping the Secaucus school district raise its math assessment scores in the past few years.

At the assembly, Palmisano’s students and fellow teachers said she is creative when it comes to teaching math and also devotes her lunch hours to working with students on extracurricular activities.

“There's something to be said when you just come into the classroom, and it's just all about academics and you just open up the textbooks and you leave for the day. I could never be that teacher. Everything I do, I do it for you guys,” Palmisano said upon accepting her award, according to News 12 New Jersey.

Photos via the Secaucus Public School System