Wayne State College alumnus Dexter Hanzel was awarded the Milken Educator Award for dedication to excellence in the classroom on Feb. 11. 

The Milken Educator Awards are given to teachers who have made impressive achievements and promise to continue to fill their classrooms with success and inspire their students. This award is given to the recipients at a surprise assembly to celebrate them and what they have done for their students, according to the Milken Educator Awards website.  

“I didn’t know it was happening. I was shaking. I don’t like ‘me’ awards, so I try to put it back to everyone else,” Hanzel said.  

Receiving this award is a great honor, because it is known as the “Oscar of Teaching,” according to the Milken Educator Awards Website.  

“I think it all comes down to just being able to take those risks and feel comfortable enough to try it so that, even if it flops some days, or fails, you learn from it and try again, because it’s the best thing for those kids to learn,” Hanzel said. Doing unique projects and activities for certain units is what makes Hanzel stand out as a teacher.  

“I’ve had them make roller coasters before. We have made popsicle stick bridges. We’ve made popsicle stick towers where kids use only 100 popsicle sticks and hot glue and they have held over 1,000 pounds. And then we have an egg drop unit where 8th graders get to drop it off of our balcony in our gym, which is about 17 feet high to make an egg survive, that is pretty fun,” Hanzel said.  

After graduating from WSC in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in math education, Hanzel began his teaching career.  

“This is my ninth year [of teaching]. I spent four years at Battle Creek High School teaching just math. Now, I’ve spent the last five years at Neligh-Oakdale teaching math and science,” Hanzel said. WSC has helped Hanzel further his career through learning from professors and building a community on campus.  

“There were a lot of good memories growing up in the small town of Wayne. It was a good choice. I went there all four years, and I enjoyed my time there,” Hanzel said. “The professors at Wayne were also very helpful. They have a good educational staff there.”  

The Milken Educator Award gives recipiencts a sum of $25,000 to use on whatever they want. Hanzel doesn’t know what he is going to use it for yet, but he does have some goals for his future after getting his master’s degree from WSC. 

“I have accepted the job to be the principal at Neligh-Oakdale next year, so I am trying to leap from the front and try to help push our school in the right direction and help our kids be successful,” Hanzel said. Hanzel is the second alumnus from Wayne State College to receive the Milken Educator Award, and the first in the Neligh-Oakdale school district, according to the Wayne State College website.  

Hanzel is on track to continue making a positive impact on the students he teaches and inspire others to take risks in education.