Stephanie Steckler, a science teacher at Frank Lamping Elementary School in Henderson reacts Friday after Michael Milken, right, announced she had won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award with a prize of $25,000. Photo by John Gurzinski.

During an assembly at Lamping Elementary School Friday that was capped by the thunderous applause and high-pitched screams from hundreds of students, science teacher Stephanie Steckler said something that made them get even louder.

"You guys are the most awesome students in the whole world," Steckler said.

The students probably should have praised Steckler.

Steckler made her comments as she fought off tears, minutes after learning she had won $25,000 as a recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

Steckler, who began her seventh year as a teacher this school year, said she was humbled by the recognition.

"It was just an amazing feeling to see that I was selected among all these qualified teachers," Steckler said of her colleagues at the Henderson school.

Steckler is one of 100 teachers from around the country who have received or will be receiving the award this year.

A panel appointed by each state's department of education selects a group of prospective teachers who might be deserving of the award. Teachers are nominated by officials from their schools.

Past winners of the award were present at the assembly. Some of them said being honored with the $25,000 award was a high-point of their career.

"My little girl got to fulfill the dream of her life with that money," said Valarie Young, who received the award last year.

She teaches world history at the Advanced Technologies Academy. Because of the award money, Young was able to take her then 12-year-old daughter to an equestrian competition in Saskatchewan, Canada. Young's family turned the trip into a 10-day vacation.

Judy Piccininni, a teacher at Bilbray Elementary School, won the award in 2004. She wants to obtain a second masters degree with her reward money. "Most of it is still in the bank," Piccininni said.

Steckler said it was too soon to decide what she was going to do with her money, but she will probably invest most of it.

Michael Milken, co-founder of the foundation, calls the awards "Oscars of teaching."

Milken said one of the reasons Steckler was selected is because she has an unusual arrangement that allows her to teach science to all of the students at her school. Most elementary teachers in the district teach all core subjects to students in one grade level.

"She's going to influence 20,000 lives (in her career)," Milken said.

The Milken Family Foundation was established by brothers Lowell and Michael Milken in 1982 and supports educational efforts and medical research.

The foundation has awarded more than $56 million to teachers since it began giving the awards in 1987.

In 1990, Michael Milken, an executive director with Drexel Burnham Lambert, pleaded guilty to securities and fraud-related charges. In 1991 his sentence was reduced to two years plus three years of probation.