Milken National Educator Awards

Milken National Educator Honorees

Head shot of Jeanette Capritti

Name: Jeanette Capritti

Title: 7^th Grade English Language Arts Teacher

School: Lawrence Middle School

District: Lawrence Township School District

Video:

Jeanette Capritti leads with excellence, purpose, and heart as a seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher at Lawrence Middle School in Lawrenceville, NJ. Known for her magnetic energy and instructional creativity, she creates a classroom environment where students are inspired to think deeply, write authentically, and grow both academically and personally. Her innovative teaching includes immersive experiences, such as transforming her classroom into a science fiction landscape complete with lighting, costumes, music, and inquiry-based activities that draw students into the genre, alongside student-led storytelling that fosters voice, structure, and identity.

Jeanette’s efforts to foster critical thinking, student ownership, and meaningful engagement have led to measurable success. Her students consistently demonstrate significant growth in reading and writing, with exceptional student achievement results.

Beyond the classroom, Jeanette devotes lunch periods to tutor students, volunteers to chaperone student dances, and teaches literacy to at-risk students in the Summer Destinations Program to enhance academic success. She has led the development of a “Writing 2.0” elective course to strengthen student writing skills, designed grade-level common assessments and curriculum, and leads professional development in her district on best practices in writing instruction, which are carefully designed to be cross-curricular and accessible for teachers in any content area. Jeanette also mentors student teachers from Rider University, and guest lectures at The College of New Jersey where she inspires aspiring educators with her knowledge, passion, and experience. Her leadership in curriculum, care for students, and teacher support makes her a trusted and respected voice in her school and district.

Jeanette earned a Bachelor of Arts in English secondary education in 2019 and a Master of Education in literacy in 2024 both from The College of New Jersey.

Head shot of Taylor Trost

Name: Emily Litz

Subject(s) Taught: Elementary

Grade(s) Taught: 5^th Grade Teacher

School: Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School

District: Scotch Plains Fanwood School District

Video:

Emily Litz creates an inclusive, engaging atmosphere where her fifth-grade students feel empowered and supported at Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School. Through tailored lessons and teaching techniques appealing to students’ diverse academic needs, she incorporates hands-on, inquiry-based, conceptual learning over memorization. Emily develops students’ critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills using adaptive tools like Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits, a program developed to engage all students through a differentiated, student-first approach.

Weaving fun into her lessons and curriculum, Emily implements creative ways to capture her students’ interest. She sprinkles them with glitter for good luck before testing, transforms her classroom into the wilderness, complete with a ‘campfire’, where students share their writing pieces, and developed a classroom job application process where students must explain their qualifications through persuasive writing to be ‘hired’ for positions ranging from attendance aide to supply manager. Emily’s math lessons encourage students to reflect on the “why” behind their use of mathematical strategies to solve problems, while she constantly adjusts lessons in real time based on student feedback and understanding.

Emily’s positive influence extends to professional development at both the school and district level. At co-teaching workshops, she volunteers often to share her knowledge about special education and experience utilizing inclusive teaching practices. She demonstrates her instructional and professional leadership through mentorship of fellow educators, contributions to the development of curriculum and pacing guidelines, and implementation of new programs. One example is a high-impact tutoring program in her work as a fifth grade curricular and instructional leader. For the district, Emily served on a committee that developed a fifth-grade standards-based report card. With an emphasis on family involvement, she provides weekly updates to parents and shares photos of students participating in classroom activities.

Emily earned her Bachelor of Science in elementary education from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland in 2010 and her Master of Science in education with a specialization in reading and literacy from Capella University in 2020.