By Brenna Angel
LEXINGTON, Ky. – What started out as a normal school assembly at a Fayette County elementary school turned into the surprise of a lifetime for 4th grade science teacher Nami Stager. She's the Kentucky winner for the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards, which is the largest teacher recognition program in the United States.
Stager, who was initially a biology major at UK, always knew she wanted to work with kids, but didn't know it would be as a teacher.
"One day I was literally at a Chinese restaurant and I got a fortune cookie, and it said something like - I still have it in my wallet it just says teach and inspire or to teach is your calling. It's an honor to be a teacher and to be recognized is extremely, just, I'm just very happy at the moment."
Stager has taught for the past three years at Northern Elementary and says she enjoys seeing a child's excitement at learning a new concept.
The Milken Foundation awarded Stager a $25,000 check that she can use however she chooses.