By Amanda Estes
Staff Writer
South Portland High School English teacher Brian Jandreau rose from his seat in the auditorium to thundering applause. As he made his way through the packed auditorium, students called out, “Yeah, Mr. J!”
During a surprise school-wide assembly on Oct. 19, Maine Department of Education Commissioner Susan Gendron presented Jandreau with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, which recognizes elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and other education professionals for excellence in education. More than 2,300 educators have been honored since the program began in 1982 and 66 Maine educators have received the award since the state joined the program in 1990.
In addition to joining the company of more than 2,300 “elite educators,” Gendron said Jandreau will receive an unrestricted financial award of $25,000 in March, when he will attend the annual Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference in Los Angeles.
Gendron said the Milken educator awards provide public recognition for a profession too often overlooked. Athletes have the Olympics and movie stars have the Oscars, but very little is done to recognize teachers, she said.
“These awards say in a very public way – outstanding teachers are the backbone of every distinguished school,” Gendron said.
The Milken Family Foundation has distributed more than $58 million in financial awards and this year will present some $2 million in awards to up to 80 educators across the country.  
There is no nomination or application process involved in selecting Milken Educator Awards. Instead, each state’s department of education appoints a blue-ribbon committee to recommend potential candidates. Award winners are taken by complete surprise.
“To be honest, I don’t know what to say, but thank you,” Jandreau said, stepping up to the podium. “I’m quite overwhelmed. I love my job and I love teaching all of you.”
As he listened to Gendron speak about the award, Jandreau said he was running through the names of other South Portland educators in his head, expecting one of his colleagues to win the award.
The freshman and sophomore English teacher is in his sixth year of teaching at South Portland High School. Jandreau graduated from Windham High School in 1996. He received his bachelor’s degree in English and political science from the University of New Hampshire in 2000 and received his master’s degree in education from the University of Maine in 2003.
“I see my relationship with students as the building block to being a good educator,” Jandreau said after the assembly.
Jandreau said he strives to make the material in his lessons “relevant and meaningful.”
Nick Wright, a senior who was in Jandreau’s sophomore English class, said Jandreau’s class stood apart.
“All the stuff we learned, we were able to put into practical use,” he said. “Because of that, I can remember every book we read.”
Senior Eli Noll, who also had English class with Jandreau two years ago, said the class wasn’t strictly by the textbook, but rather they frequently discussed current and world events.
Noll said because Jandreau is so personable, students often ask him to fill out recommendation letters for their college applications.
“He was kind of like a friend and a teacher at the same time,” Noll said.
South Portland High School Principal Jeanne Crocker said when she learned Jandreau had been selected for the award, she was “not at all surprised.”
“Brian would be the epitome of the young teacher who connects very easily and educationally with students [and] who has engaging lessons that make the kids really enjoy classes with him,” she said on Monday. “He’s also that kind of school leader who took on pretty major tasks in the realm of school improvement.”
Crocker said when Jandreau first started teaching at the high school, he took on the two-year project of creating freshman teams. Last year, he created a senior internship program, connecting students with career exploration opportunities.
Following the assembly, a staff member spoke over the intercom, reminding students to congratulate Jandreau as they see him throughout the day.
So what will Jandreau do with the unrestricted $25,000 award?
“I don’t know,” he said. “My fiancé and I are starting to look at houses.”
Jandreau said the award might go toward a down payment.