When fifth grade math teacher Krissy Long walked into a schoolwide assembly to celebrate Neshoba Central Elementary’s A rating, she had no idea the surprise of a lifetime was in store.
The entire school was gathered to hear from the interim state superintendent of education, who commended the school on recent accomplishments. However, when Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop took the stage, it became clear that one teacher’s life was about to change.
She explained one special teacher in the crowd was about to receive the national Milken Educator Award, which includes a $25,000 cash prize. That special teacher was none other than Long, a Mississippi State elementary education alumna.
“When she called my name, my heart just stopped,” Long said. “All those years of hard work and dedication had not gone unseen or unappreciated.
“I walked out with this giant check, like what you see in commercials,” Long continued. “We were in awe that our hard work was recognized on a national level, not just in our small community.”
Krissy Long
Known as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the prestigious award is given annually by the Milken Foundation to honor outstanding educators across the country. It includes an all-expenses-paid forum in Los Angeles and mentorship opportunities in addition to the cash award.
Long was not the only Bulldog elementary education alumna to receive the award in 2024. Anna Katherine Davis of Houston High School and Jennifer Hite of Pearl Upper Elementary were also surprised with the recognition during schoolwide assemblies at their respective schools.
“When Stephanie Bishop began talking about the award, people started looking at me because I was already District Teacher of the Year,” Davis said. “But I was thinking, ‘I don’t know why they think it’s me because I don’t think I’m any more deserving than anybody else.’ So, when they called my name, I was shocked. Everybody started clapping and cheering, and then a news station interviewed me.
“The way I see it, I just do my job every day,” Davis continued. “But it means so much to know that somebody thinks I am doing something good.”
When Hite’s name was called at her school, she says her jaw dropped.
“I think there’s actually a picture of me with my mouth wide open,” Hite said. “What made it so sweet is that my own son was in the fourth grade and got to be sitting there watching at the same time.”
Hite says the Milken Foundation’s selection process for the award is very secretive.
“They told us that the Milken Award is not something that somebody can just nominate you for,” Hite said. “They do research on you for several years, and you’ll never know how the ball got rolling on your selection.”
Making a Difference in the Classroom and Beyond
Davis teaches math to ninth-12th grade students at Houston High School, where she sponsors the senior play and homecoming court, coaches the archery team, drives a bus and serves on various committees. She is also the go-to teacher among her colleagues when it comes to math and technology. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Davis embraced technology and demonstrated her commitment to finding innovative ways to keep her students engaged and on track, essentially creating a virtual classroom.
“I started using Google Meet and looking into other programs, like Kami, to help my students see on their own screens what I was writing during the lessons,” Davis said. “As I figured things out, I gave the other math teachers different options to help them with the online learning challenges.
“Prior to the pandemic, I printed all kinds of stuff. Now, I do almost everything online in my classroom and use different programs, like Quizlet and Mastery Connect, to engage my students on their computers, but I still have them take notes in a spiral notebook,” Davis added.
At Pearl Upper Elementary, Hite cultivates a love for science among her fifth grade students while serving as the science chair and a mentor to first-year educators and student teachers. She is also one of two teachers in charge of the student council and served on the review committee for the state science standards and several data and content review committees for the state science test. With a stronger focus on science in fifth grade compared to younger grades, Hite surpasses conventional teaching methods to introduce her students to “a little bit of every area of science,” creating a fun, interactive experience.
Anna Katherine Davis
“Science is something that all kids are naturally curious about, so I feel like I’m in a special position where I get to be their favorite subject’s teacher,” Hite explained. “I try to play off of that a little bit. Sometimes I wear a costume with our lessons or have the kids act something out. I try to make anything I can more tangible, more concrete for them but try to have a lot of fun, too.”
In addition to teaching fifth grade math at Neshoba Central Elementary, Long serves as the math chair and leads professional development workshops for new and veteran teachers. With a passion for hands-on learning, she incorporates real-life scenarios into her lessons to help her students grasp practical applications, such as using menus from a local Mexican restaurant to calculate bills.
“I try to take all my standards and match them to a life skill, so my kids know what they’re learning is meaningful and they have to do it to be successful citizens,” Long said.
“I read somewhere in college that if you repeat something 13 times, you have it memorized,” Long continued. “That stuck with me, so I write songs–little chants and rhymes for them to use with motions to help them memorize and love learning.”
A Common Maroon and White Thread
Through the Milken Foundation, the three MSU alumna have become friends and are working together to develop an Activating Milken Educators, or AME, program in Mississippi to address a pressing educational need in the state.
“It’s been neat to meet the other Milken Educators and already have so much in common,” Hite said. “Now we can be cheerleaders for each other across the state.”
One thing Hite and Davis have in common from their undergraduate experience at Mississippi State is a favorite professor: Rebecca Robichaux-Davis, an elementary education faculty member and graduate coordinator in MSU’s Department of Teacher Education and Leadership.
“All of my teachers at Mississippi State made sure our classroom management skills were where they needed to be,” Davis said. “Thinking back, Dr. Robichaux-Davis is the one who stands out. She really brought math to life for me by showing different ways to teach math, the skills needed and the background for math.”
Jennifer Hite
Hite fondly remembers Robichaux-Davis’s fun, hands-on activities for math.
“I loved going to her class and learning some of the methods that she used to teach her students because they were engaging,” Hite said. “As a science teacher now, I have the most fun teaching whenever I’m giving them a hands-on way to learn.”
Long attended MSU’s campus in Meridian, which she says provided the best foundation for her to succeed in life.
“As a dyslexic learner and an ADHD student, learning was very hard for me growing up,” Long said. “Once I got to MSU-Meridian, my professors taught me how to use my disability as a strength.
“Professor McCarra, who has since passed away, said something that will forever stick with me,” Long continued. “She said, ‘Building relationships with your students is the most important factor in becoming a successful educator.’ I have since based my entire education experience and my mission statement as an educator off her statement.”
Teresa Jayroe, dean of MSU’s College of Education, said she is immensely proud to have three alumni from the college receive the prestigious award this year.
“Their accomplishments highlight the quality of our nationally accredited teacher education programs and our commitment to excellence in education,” she said. “We are very proud to have contributed to their professional journey and celebrate their success in enriching the lives of their students.”
By Bethany Shipp, Photos Submitted