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Neal Embry
Heather Hurt stands with her son William and education leaders holding her $25,000 check that comes with her being named a Milken Educator.
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Neal Embry
Heather Hurt, center, stands with Lowell Milken, with the Milken Foundation, in her classroom at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central. Hurt was surprised with being named a Milken Educator and winning $25,000 with the award.
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Neal Embry
Heather Hurt, a fifth-grade teacher at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, was surprised with a Milken Award and $25,000 gift at a Wednesday assembly.
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Photo Courtesy of the Milken Fam
Heather Hurt, left, calls her father and then her husband to tell them she was named the Alabama Milken Educator for 2018, and was given a $25,000 check to go with it.
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Photo Courtesy of Milken Family
Heather Hurt, right, reacts to being named a Milken Award winner on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, where Hurt teaches fifth-grade.
Fifth-grade teacher Heather Hurt, like every other faculty member at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central, walked into the school’s gymnasium at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, waiting to hear the state superintendent, Dr. Eric Mackey, speak to staff and students.
After Mackey spoke for a few minutes, he brought up Lowell Milken, chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation. Milken spoke about the importance of recognizing teachers.
“We don’t take the time to honor, to celebrate our talented teachers,” Milken said.
To remedy that problem, Milken established the Milken Educator Awards in 1987, which gives unrestricted $25,000 awards, along with other professional opportunities, to educators chosen, without their knowledge, by the foundation.
Milken, complete with dramatic flair, opened an envelope and announced Hurt had won the award. A visibly surprised Hurt made her way to the podium, where she was greeted by her son and school leaders, along with Milken.
“This is not a lifetime achievement award,” Milken said. “... We believe you have the potential to do even greater things in the future. I want to say to you on behalf of all the citizens of the state of Alabama, and indeed our nation, thank you for making education your chosen profession.”
Hurt, in her sixth year at VHEC, became an educator after working as a realtor for 10 years before pursuing her childhood dream of being a teacher.
“With a three-year-old and a six-month-old, I went to graduate school, and here we are,” Hurt said. “... I tried other things, and it just wasn’t a fit. I just love it. I teach because I love the passion that the kids can have behind learning. I teach because I love 11-year-olds. I teach because I love making kids excited about math and science and social studies, and I don’t want to do anything else.”
Hurt uses engaging and interactive teaching styles to help students learn about a variety of topics. As part of a Colonial Days program, Hurt’s class did historical role-playing via Skype with historian “actors” from the Boston Museum, according to a news release from the Milken Foundation. Hurt designed a virtual-reality colonial house with the help of other school leaders, and the project was used for all 17 fifth-grade classes.
After her class read Balloons Over Broadway, a book about the Macy’s Day Parade, Hurt helped students create a Lego robot version of the parade, with robots pulling their designed floats through a 3-D model of New York City.
“I just want to make learning fun; I just do,” Hurt said. “We have a lot of things to learn, but we can do it in a fun way. I’ve always stumbled upon something, have a thought and it just spirals into an activity that doesn’t always end up being great, but we try it, or it doesn’t always end up being as fun as I thought it might be, but at least we tried it.”
Marian Humphries, principal of VHEC, said it was hard keeping the secret from Hurt, who she’s known since before she was born, serving as a bridesmaid in her parent’s wedding.
“She’s been a blessing to our school,” Humphries said. “... I walk in her classroom, and the kids are happy, and they’re sponges, soaking in what she’s teaching them.”
The award honors VHEC, in its final year of educating students, as well as Hurt, Humphries said.
“I think it speaks for the entire school,” Humphries said. “The quality of a Heather Hurt is the norm at this school.”
While Hurt spent Wednesday celebrating, she said she’ll be right back with her students on Thursday.
“I’ll be back tomorrow, and we’ll have another math lesson,” Hurt said.
