Alumna Christine Bayard surprised with Milken Educator Award

A University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduate is being recognized nationally for her work as an educator over the past decade. Christine Bayard ’09 was recently presented with a Milken Educator Award for the 2023-2024 school year. The Milken Educator Awards are the nation’s preeminent teacher recognition initiative, providing public acknowledgment and unrestricted financial awards of $25,000 to outstanding teachers furthering excellence in education.

Bayard, a sixth-grade math teacher at Johnston-Hopkins Elementary School in New Iberia, joins an elite group of educators who have received this national recognition. She’ll also get to travel to Los Angeles this summer for a conference, where she’ll be able to network with fellow Milken Educators from across the country.

Her journey within the education profession started with inspiration from her mother. “As a child, I would go with my mom to her school and help her in the classroom. I was inspired to follow in her footsteps,” she said.

Bayard always kept this desire to teach in the back of her mind. She studied psychology at UL Lafayette but eventually returned to campus to complete the alternative teacher education program. She knew she was destined to be a teacher and was hired by Johnston-Hopkins Elementary School to kickstart her career. She’s taught there for the past ten years and has left a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of students.

On the day of her award ceremony, Bayard thought she was attending an assembly to celebrate the achievements of her school. It wasn’t until she saw that Lowell Milken and the Louisiana Superintendent of Education were in attendance that she realized it wasn’t an ordinary assembly.

When they called her name as the recipient of the Milken Educator Award, Bayard could not believe that she was chosen for this honor. “I was in complete shock. I’ve been teaching at this same school for a while, and I couldn’t believe I was being nationally recognized,” she said.

Receiving this award has meant a lot to Bayard and shown her just how much of an impact she’s made on the lives of her students. “It makes me feel like I’m doing something right. Since receiving the award, I’ve gotten so many kind messages from previous teachers I’ve worked with and students that I’ve taught,” she said.

Bayard is extremely grateful for all of the support she’s had throughout her teaching career. She said she is looking forward to many more years as an educator and is excited to keep inspiring her students to achieve their dreams.

Main Photo Caption: Lowell Milken, founder of the Milken Educator Awards, congratulates recipient Christine Bayard. "Christine Bayard is an innovative, instructional leader who infuses the joy and adventure of learning in everything she does," he says. "Her exemplary dedication to educational excellence serves as an inspiration to students and fellow colleagues. We thank Christine for selecting teaching for her career and look forward to the contributions she will bring to the national Milken Educator Network." (Photo Credit: Milken Family Foundation) In-Story Photo Caption: Top: Congratulations, Christine Bayard! The $25,000 cash prize that accompanies the Milken Educator Award is unrestricted — recipients can use the funds however they choose. From left, Iberia Parish School District Superintendent Heath Hulin; Johnston-Hopkins Elementary School Principal Ashley Lewis; recipient Christine Bayard (LA '23); Milken Educator Awards Founder Lowell Milken; and Louisiana Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. (Photo Credit: Milken Family Foundation) Bottom: 5.) Excited students rush to envelop Milken Award recipient Christine Bayard in a group hug. (Photo Credit: Milken Family Foundation)