Under the guise of a schoolwide assembly at Pittsboro Elementary School, fourth grade teacher Shane Henderson was surprised with being named as the newest Milken Educator Award recipient on Wednesday morning.
The prestigious recognition comes with an unrestricted cash prize of $25,000. Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop was joined by North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green to present the Award to Henderson before a gymnasium of cheering students, educators, dignitaries and media.
“Shane Henderson’s deep passion and commitment to student success exemplify why he makes a great Milken Educator Award recipient,” said Green. “He keeps students at the heart of his work, creating inclusive learning environments to support all students along their educational journey. Mr. Henderson is a wonderful example of why we need to revere educators—his selfless dedication has shaped the future of our state.”
Henderson is the sole North Carolina recipient in 2025-26 and the state’s 58th recipient since North Carolina joined the Milken Educator Awards program in 1994.
“Shane Henderson’s work models best practices in instructional leadership, peer mentoring and professional collaboration, making him a standout educator and model for the profession,” said Bishop, a 2001 Virginia Milken Educator. “Welcome to the Milken Educator Network, Shane! We’re thrilled to have you join this prestigious community of educators.”
The Milken Family Foundation’s 2025-26 tour will honor 30 educators coast to coast—adding to the Milken Educator Network of more than 3,000 professionals nationwide. Created by philanthropist and education visionary Lowell Milken in 1987, the Milken Educator Awards represent America’s preeminent educator recognition initiative, inspiring educators, students and communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession. By the end of this season, more than $76 million in individual financial prizes and more than $146 million will have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.
Outstanding educators like Henderson are not aware of their candidacy for the Award. Recipients are sought out while early to mid-career for what they have achieved – and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and opportunities afforded by the Award.
More About Shane Henderson
Hometown Teacher Shapes New Generation of Students:
Henderson is giving back to the community that helped shape him into the teacher leader he is today. A product of the Chatham County community, Henderson has become a beloved teacher over the past decade, rising from bus driver to instructional assistant to classroom educator. He is such a large presence throughout the halls that students celebrate his birthday each year like a national holiday. His growth mindset is evident in the trajectory of his own professional career, and he instills that same vision for success in his students. He recently led his fourth graders to a 16-point increase in reading proficiency, and his class achieved an overall passing rate of 75% on end-of-year assessments.
Innovative Educator Encourages Student Success:
Henderson’s innovative approaches to learning, goal-oriented strategies and data-driven instruction encourage all students to excel. He meets one-on-one with parents to establish goals for their children and mark educational milestones throughout the school year. An advocate for teacher leadership, he identifies and trains peers who can support younger classrooms.
Teacher Leader Committed to Mentoring Students, Peers:
Henderson extends his influence beyond his classroom, devoting time to extracurricular activities that mentor students and peers. This grade-level chair organizes a Breakfast for Brainiacs club for fourth grade students, serves as a representative on the School Improvement Team and the behavior team, and led a running club at the school. He even maintains his CDL license to fill in as a bus driver when needed. Broadening his impact, Henderson presented at the National School Boards Association’s Conference for Public Education Leaders, sharing evidence-based strategies that boost reading achievement.
Education:
In 2017, Henderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts with a concentration in sociology from Southern New Hampshire University.
The Milken Educator Award Reaps Lifelong Benefits
- The $25,000 cash Award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
- Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators (AME) promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs.
- Milken MeetUps abound across the nation to deepen learning and connection and expand innovation in education.
- The honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Washington, D.C., from June 12-14, 2026, where they will network with their new colleagues, as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders, about how to further develop their voice into roles that lead to real change.
Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national and international levels. Visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 570-4772 for more information.