Two Austin-area educators win $50,000 in prizes with national Milken award

Austin ISD's Maricruz Aguayo-Tabor and Del Valle ISD's Adelaida Olivares received the 2009 Milken Educator Award. The national award is given by the Milken Family Foundation of California, and it carries with it a cash prize of $25,000.

Aguayo-Tabor teaches world history and European history classes, mentors teachers, works with students in the math club and runs the social studies department at Austin's Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy High School. Olivares is the principal of the Freshman Academy at Del Valle High School. They are two of 50 educators in the United States to receive the Milken Educator Award this year.

Dubbed "the Oscars of teaching" by Teacher magazine, the Milken Educator Awards were conceived by Lowell Milken, chairman of the Milken Family Foundation, to recognize the importance of outstanding educators and to encourage talented young people to enter the teaching profession.

Texas, which has participated in the program since 2000, now has 40 educators who have received the award.