A Northside Urban Pathways teacher today won a $25,000 Milken Educator Award.

Jamilla Rice thought she was going to a schoolwide assembly at which a state Department of Education official was to make a department announcement at the Downtown charter school this afternoon.

But that was a ruse. Ms. Rice discovered instead that the purpose was to recognize her as one of more than 50 outstanding educators to be honored by the Milken Family Foundation. Foundation officials began visiting schools across the country on Oct. 6, making surprise announcements.

The Milken Educator Awards were established in 1987. The program has honored more than 2,400 educators with more than $60 million in unrestricted cash awards.

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