Fort Wright Elementary School teacher Ashley Milar is among six teachers statewide to be honored next week with the 2021 Earle C. Clements Innovation in Education Award.
The Clements Award, presented annually by the National Archives and the University of Kentucky Libraries Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center, honors the life and career of Earle C. Clements and his lifelong commitment to education and public service.
Ashley Milar
Chosen by an independent review panel, Clements Award applicants are judged on their ability to demonstrate knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the subject and commitment to increasing student awareness of the importance of public service, expertise in civics and history content and the ability to share it with students, impact on student success and evidence of creativity and innovation.
Clements Award recipients are selected from history and/or civics (social studies) teachers throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Milar earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UK and a master’s degree with an emphasis in gifted education from Northern Kentucky University. She has taught fifth grade for 12 years and currently teaches at Fort Wright Elementary, where she strives to build relationships and make her classroom a safe, risk-taking environment.
“Mrs. Milar is lovingly known as ‘the history expert’ and ‘a ray of sunshine’ that lives for the moments where social studies content is learned to see the pride and excitement in the eyes of her students,” Fort Wright Elementary School Principal Tina Wartman said.
Others to be recognized include Jennifer Barlow, of Burgin Independent School, Aaron Cain, of Henry Clay High School, Brenda Fairchild, of Johnson County Middle School, Ryan Lewis, of Woodford County High School, and Gary Morris, of McLean County High School.
The awards program, which recognizes the state’s best educators in history and/or civics, will begin 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 9, at the Great Hall in the Margaret I. King Library Building. A reception will immediately follow the event.
Those interested in attending may RSVP for both events, which are free and open to the public.
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