New Haven educator named state teacher of the year

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut’s commissioner of education announced the recipient of the state’s highest award for educators Wednesday morning.

A social studies teacher at New Haven’s Metropolitan Business Academy is now the statewide teacher of the year.

“Teaching is my heart and soul,” the winner, Julia Miller, said. “It was just such an amazing honor to find out.”

It is an honor, but not much of a surprise to the students and teachers who know her.

“It’s her heart and her ability to see students as individuals,” said Makayla Kidd, a senior at MBA. “She lets her guard down with us. She is human with us.”

State leaders offered their praise.

“She and her classroom exemplify student-centered teaching and learning, community building, and the transformative potential of social studies classrooms and of public schools,” said Leslie Blatteau, the president of the Federation of Teachers New Haven.

Miller is a product of New Haven Public Schools and has two daughters in New Haven Public Schools. She’s been teaching at MBA for the past 18 years.

Her work goes far beyond the classroom. She created a capstone project in restorative justice for her students and goes out of her way to encourage the next generation of teachers.

“She started an after-school program called Educators Rising,” Kidd said. “It was a way to get students interested in teaching, which is super important because of our deficit in New Haven Public Schools.”

Miller said that every career that exists is because of a teacher.

“There can’t be all the other things that exist in our society if it weren’t for teachers,” she said.

Miller goes out of her way to teach involvement and respect.

“I’m a civics teacher, and so I believe in advocacy and community, and so it just feels natural to do the things that I care about,” Miller said.

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