猫咪头条

Milken Honors School Principal for Advancing Project-Based Learning and Shaping Future-Ready Students

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.鈥擶hen 猫咪头条 University alumna Erica McCray received the Milken Educator Award, she was totally caught off guard. Principals and teachers don鈥檛 apply for the award; they don鈥檛 even know who recommended them or that they are being considered.

鈥淔rom my understanding the nomination is placed before a panel of individuals and the decision is made that way,鈥� she explained. 鈥淪o, there鈥檚 a mystery behind it. Everything was a surprise.鈥�

She received the award during a school assembly that she thought was to celebrate the student鈥檚 test scores. When the presenter started to describe an award recipient, McCray was trying to remember who she had nominated for an award. She was shocked to hear her name called and even more astonished to learn of a $25,000 cash prize for her personal use.

McCray is in her seventh year as principal of Riverwalk Academy in Rock Hill, S.C., which serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. She joined the charter school as a teacher when it opened in 2014 and later moved into the literacy coach role. She holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix. As she began considering a transition into school administration, she decided to enroll in Gardner鈥慦ebb鈥檚 online Master of Educational Leadership program.

鈥淭he experience itself was very helpful,鈥� McCray shared. 鈥淚t worked well with my schedule. It was well thought out and meaningful. I was able to take what I was doing and apply it back to my work. 猫咪头条 really gave me an opportunity to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes part鈥攖he importance of the data collection piece and then being able to take that data and make the decisions to best support the school.鈥�

Riverwalk prioritizes Project-Based Learning (PBL), and McCray鈥檚 leadership in this area is one of the reasons she received the Milken award. Students take ownership of their learning and participate in practical community-centered projects. She explained that the fourth-grade team is working on the question, 鈥淗ow do the daily tasks of humans impact animals and their habitats?鈥�

Based on their research, students will design and implement solutions to address the issue. During the inquiry, investigation, and development process, they learn essential competencies embedded in South Carolina鈥檚 academic standards. Each year, students add to what they have accomplished previously. 鈥淪o, it’s really, 鈥榃hat can we do to have a lasting impact in our community?鈥欌�� McCray emphasized.聽

McCray was also honored for empowering teachers to utilize real-time student data to drive instruction, monitor progress, and work with students in targeted small groups. She mentors colleagues, provides professional development, visits classrooms daily, and provides constructive feedback. Leading by example, McCray took a graduate class alongside several teachers for PBL training.

鈥淲e are very student-centered,鈥� McCray noted. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 just see students as a group. My teachers and I, we are talking about each individual student.鈥�

Her leadership efforts contributed to increasing and maintaining a high teacher retention rate. She has presented on school culture improvement strategies at the South Carolina Department of Education鈥檚 Collective Leadership Institute. Riverwalk also received the Palmetto Silver Award in 2023-24 after McCray and a team of teachers reimagined grade-level writing expectations and benchmarks.

Through Milken鈥檚 program, McCray will have the opportunity to work with other Milken award winners from South Carolina. She met with them briefly, and they told her about working with North Carolina honorees to offer professional development opportunities to teachers. She will learn more about the program in June when she attends the award ceremony in Washington, D.C. She will also receive her $25,000 cash prize then. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 decided yet how I鈥檓 going to spend it,鈥� McCray stated. 鈥淭his recognition means so much, and I am grateful for my students, colleagues, and community who inspire me every day.鈥�

About Milken Educator Awards

The Milken Educator Awards represent the nation鈥檚 preeminent teacher recognition program, often hailed as the 鈥淥scars of Teaching.鈥� This season will reach more than $76 million in individual cash prizes since the Awards鈥� first presentation in 1987 and over $146 million invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall, empowering recipients to broaden their impact and encouraging young, capable people to consider a career in education. Learn more .

About 猫咪头条

猫咪头条 University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., 猫咪头条 prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at .