Brooklyn Teacher Receives Top Educator Award
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A Brooklyn school teacher received one of the country's highest education honors Wednesday.
Natasha Cooke-Nieves thought she was attending a routine school assembly at PS 282, but instead got a big surprise as she was awarded the Milken Educator Award For Excellence in Teaching.
It includes a $25,000 prize and is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in education.
During the ceremony Natasha thanked her students and shared her passion for learning. She is one of only four teachers in the state to win one of the grants.
"This means a lot to me because I really feel that boys and girls you know that school is extremely important, more so that I haven't stopped going to school since I was your age," Cooke-Nieves said.
Nieves was a science teacher at PS 282 for 10 years, and now provides professional development to teachers at 21 other schools.
She also works as an adjunct professor with CUNY Brooklyn.