Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Sunnyside Teacher Surprised With Teaching 'Oscar,' $25,000 Prize
gvw_nancy_price
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 4 years ago on
December 10, 2019

Share

Sunnyside High School teacher Katie McQuone is used to being behind the camera as head of the school’s Video Production Academy. So McQuone was startled Tuesday morning to find cameras suddenly pointing at her during an assembly in the packed school gymnasium, where she was named winner of a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for 2019-20.
McQuone, a Sunnyside alum, is one of about 40 winners this year of what is called “the Oscars of teaching.”

“It’s really exciting to come here, and now work here with the kids, and show them you can be from southeast Fresno and love your job, and enjoy what you do, and have fun — and win awards!”Sunnyside High teacher Katie McQuone
She danced in joy after leaving her bleacher seat to accept the award as loud cheers of celebration rang out through the gym. But when it was time to make a speech, she was somewhat at a loss for words, other than to express her thanks.
And how does she plan to use her award money? “Pay off my student loans, yay!” she told reporters with a laugh, adding that she might also use it for a vacation or even Christmas presents.

First A Proposal, Now An Award

It wasn’t the first time she’d been ambushed in her old high school gym with a surprise announcement, McQuone said. “The last time I was in the gym like this, I got proposed to. There were cameras there for that, and I was sitting in the same spot. …”
Winning the award at her alma mater is especially thrilling, McQuone said. “It’s really exciting to come here, and now work here with the kids, and show them you can be from southeast Fresno and love your job, and enjoy what you do, and have fun — and win awards!”

“Katie is a practical visionary who inspires and uplifts while also teaching down-to-earth skills that translate to both academia and the working world.” —  Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards senior vice president
School and district staff needed to keep McQuone’s award a secret until it was announced, so they told students and teachers that the assembly would recognize the school’s educational gains.
Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson and Cindy Quiralte, policy advisor to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, helped kick off the assembly by praising Sunnyside for increasing its graduation rate from 84% to 94% and for having one of the Valley’s fastest-growing rates of students completing the coursework necessary for admission to the University of California and California State University systems.
Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards senior vice president, talked about the impacts that the best teachers have on their communities, and then acknowledged that she was at Sunnyside to give recognition to one of those teachers.
“Katie is a practical visionary who inspires and uplifts while also teaching down-to-earth skills that translate to both academia and the working world,” Foley said.
Sunnyside High teacher Katie McQuone celebrates Tuesday morning after being named a Milken Educator in a surprise announcement during a school assembly. (GV Wire/Nancy Price)

She Came Home to Teach

McQuone graduated in 2009 from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in radio, television, and electronic media. At Sunnyside, she has taken on many tasks, in addition to leading the Video Production Academy where nearly 100 students learn digital and social media skills and produce daily video news stories for the school’s broadcast.
She sits on the school’s arts and CTE committees, coaches the varsity swim team, and heads the school’s staff and alumni associations, organizing fundraising and appreciation events.
McQuone leads professional development for teachers and teaches evening video production classes as an adjunct instructor at Fresno City College.

“I was a little surprised, but also I wasn’t, because she definitely deserves it. She is an amazing teacher.” — senior Eva Remme

Joining An Elite Class of Educators

Milken Educators are typically in early- to mid-career and are selected for what they have already achieved, and the promise of future accomplishments.
In addition to the $25,000 prize, winners become members of the National Milken Educator Network, will attend a Milken Educator Forum in Indianapolis next March, and will be paired with a veteran Milken Educator mentor to prepare for expanded leadership roles.
The Milken Educators Awards were created by the Milken Family Foundation in 1987 to recognize teaching excellence and promote the teaching profession.

Video Production At Work

McQuone makes sure her students get hands-on experience: They record theater performances at local elementary schools, shoot video for the Fresno Grizzlies, and work with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and FAX bus service.
Their stories are featured on a local network affiliate and public television. When they graduate, they all have work-based learning experiences, dual enrollment college credits and often are certified in programs such as Adobe Photoshop.

Teacher Katie McQuone high-fives a friend as she prepares to accept her Milken Educator Award on Tuesday at Sunnyside High. (Milken Family Foundation)
McQuone’s video production students waited after the assembly to hug their teacher. Seniors Eva Remme and Vionda Ayala said they weren’t completely surprised by her Milken award.
“I was a little surprised, but also I wasn’t, because she definitely deserves it,” Eva said. “She is an amazing teacher.”
McQuone’s impact on students goes beyond teaching video production skills, Vionda said. “I learned how to be a better person, I’ve gone through ups and downs. She’s taught me so much, how life is going to work, what kinds of people are the right kinds of people for myself.”
Vionda said she hopes to major in journalism at Fresno State and is thankful to her teacher for showing her that career path.
“If it wasn’t for McQuone, I never would have thought I would be good for journalism, but she definitely showed me that this is definitely where I should go.”
 

DON'T MISS

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

DON'T MISS

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

DON'T MISS

Corrupt Process? Bullard, Edison Parents Blast Handling of Superintendent Search

DON'T MISS

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

DON'T MISS

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

DON'T MISS

Chinese Leader Xi Issues a Positive Message to US Business Leaders as Ties Improve

DON'T MISS

Locals Urge FUSD To Keep The Process Transparent

DON'T MISS

Deputies Arrest Fresno Urban Peace Graduate After Finding Him With 25 Guns

DON'T MISS

Cargo Ship Lost Power, Issued Mayday Before Hitting Baltimore’s Bridge

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Social Media Company Soars Nearly 50% in Its First Day of Trading on Nasdaq

No data was found
Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

14 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

14 hours ago

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull

15 hours ago

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

15 hours ago

Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO

15 hours ago

CA’s Liberal Government Has a Long History of Caving to Special Interests

15 hours ago

Corrupt Process? Bullard, Edison Parents Blast Handling of Superintendent Search

15 hours ago

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

17 hours ago

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

17 hours ago

Here Are Some Numbers That Will Help You Get Your March Madness Fix for the Sweet 16

17 hours ago

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokes...

8 hours ago

8 hours ago

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

Composite image of President Trump and Devin Nunes
12 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire

13 hours ago

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

14 hours ago

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

14 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

15 hours ago

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull

15 hours ago

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

15 hours ago

Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend