Friday morning Corey Oliver was still on cloud nine after receiving a national teaching award, not to mention $25,000, earlier in the week.
During what he thought was just a motivational assembly Monday at Bob Courtway Middle School, where he is an eighth-grade English teacher, Oliver was named a 2007 Milken Family Foundation National Educator.
Being one of only two recipients in the state, Oliver said he was completely beside himself when they announced his name.
According to Oliver, after the motivational speaker was finished, the nature of the assembly turned to acknowledging teachers for the work they do and how much the Milken Foundation believes in what teachers do.
"Then six students came out and the first one held up a card with a dollar sign on in and the second one held up a number two and they asked the audience, 'Would this be enough to show how much we appreciate teachers for what they do?'" Oliver said. "They were screaming 'no' and I was there screaming with them."
Oliver said the crowd got the total amount all the way to $2,500 and then the crowd went wild when the Milken representative pushed it to $25,000.
"Then they started talking about the criteria for receiving the award and several names were going through my mind as far as teachers who have dedicated their lives to service and my name was nowhere on that list," Oliver said. "And when my name was called, I was shocked and honored and humbled and I think I stammered up to the front of the gym with my head in my hands."
Oliver said he was so surprised when he heard his principal, Jerry Whitmore, had been keeping this award a secret for several months. He also said he was very thankful to Whitmore for acting as a tutor to him for his past 11 years with Bob Courtway, which has been his total teaching experience.
"I owe this award to my parents for their constant support over the past 11 years I've been involved in education they have really been my backbone," Oliver said. "And Mr. Whitmore's leadership has just been invaluable."
He added he also is very thankful to Dr. Greg Murry, Conway's new superintendent, who has reignited in Oliver a passion for teaching. Oliver said he is so honored to have been able to receive this award under his leadership.
Oliver also mentioned he received a congratulatory message from Conway's former superintendent, James Simmons, who was named a Milken National Educator in 1991.
When considering who to thank for this award, Oliver said he could never have the passion he has for teaching without his students.
"They were telling me after the presentation that they were thinking about me the whole time before the award winner was named," Oliver said.
Even students who aren't in his current class have been letting Oliver know how proud of him they are for winning this award. A few days ago Oliver found a letter in his box from a student he had in his class last year congratulating him on the honor.
"It just brings tears to my eyes and really just amazes me," Oliver said. "I could hold in one hand the check and in the other hand the letter, and that letter just means more than the money because the letter is the reason why I teach and the money is just a great incentive to keep on going."
The topic of what to do with the money has also been a popular one in Oliver's classroom this week and Oliver said he has been entertaining various ideas of what to do with it.
"I'd like to invest some of the money, if not all of it, and I've thought about maybe applying it toward doctoral work in education at UCA or Harding," Oliver said. "And I'd like to do some traveling I've always wanted to go to Australia and Spain and maybe even the 2008 Olympics in Beijing."
Among the criteria for winning the 2007 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award are exceptional educational talent with evidence in the classroom, exemplary educational accomplishments outside the classroom, strong long-range potential for professional policy and an engaging and aspiring presence that inspires students, faculty and the community.
According to faculty and students who have worked with Oliver over the past 11 years, that description fits him perfectly.
(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
