Today, Dallas DeWeese, a social studies teacher at Hollister Middle School in the Hollister R-V School District, was presented with the national Milken Educator Award.

DeWeese joins a national network of over 3,000 Milken Educators spanning the Awards’ nearly 40-year history as the nation’s preeminent teacher-recognition program. Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” the Milken Educator Awards inspire educators, students, and entire communities to “Celebrate, Elevate and Activate” the K-12 teaching profession and encourage young, capable people to pursue teaching as a career. More than $75 million in individual financial prizes and more than $145 million have been invested in the Milken Educator Award national network overall.

“Dallas DeWeese has woven himself into the fabric of this school and community, leaving a permanent impact on the hearts and lives of every student he has had the opportunity to teach, coach, or mentor,” said Milken Educator Awards Vice President Stephanie Bishop, herself a Milken Educator from Virginia in 2001. “His enthusiasm for education and his passion to see his students succeed are evident in everything he does, and I am pleased to present him with the Milken Educator Award today.”

“We are thrilled to have the Milken Family Foundation recognize one of Missouri’s many exceptional teachers with this award,” said Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger. “The work that Dallas does every day to care for and educate his students makes a difference not just in that student’s life but the lives of their families and the community as a whole.”

Dallas DeWeese

DeWeese implements a holistic approach to education within his classroom environment by cultivating collaboration amongst his students. DeWeese integrates English language arts, science, and math into his social studies lessons, creating a multifaceted educational experience and reinforcing concepts across the curriculum. DeWeese presents enriching, engaging activities that excite and inspire his students. Students in his classes develop their own student government and civilization and participate in real-world learning activities like the creation of a business plan – complete with a comprehensive proposal, budget, and operations strategy.

DeWeese’s positive influence extends beyond his classroom and throughout the school where he serves as the leader of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) committee, spearheading a team that analyzes behavioral data and identifies trends to help teachers appropriately address issues and implement positive incentives. DeWeese also leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at Hollister Middle School, coaches basketball and softball, and has served as the seventh-grade team leader and content team leader.

DeWeese earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from College of the Ozarks in 2018 and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction leadership from Evangel University in 2021.

More information about DeWeese, plus photos and videos from today’s surprise assembly, can be found on the Milken Educator Awards website using the following link.

• Dallas DeWeese

About the Milken Educator Awards

• The $25,000 cash award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. Some recipients have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education, financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children.
• Honorees receive powerful mentorship opportunities for expanded leadership roles that strengthen education practice and policy. Milken Friends Forever (MFF) pairs a new recipient with a veteran Milken Educator mentor; the Expanding MFF Resource and Explorer Program fosters individual veteran Milken Educator partnerships around specific topic areas; and Activating Milken Educators promotes group collaboration in and across states to bring solutions to pressing educational needs.
• The honorees attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in April 2025, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.
• Veteran Milken Educators demonstrate a wide range of leadership roles at state, national, and international levels.

For more information, visit www.MilkenEducatorAwards.org.