Meet the 2025 LMC Fellows

Theresa Cantwell: Theresa is an 8th-grade social studies teacher and the history research coordinator at Jericho Middle School in Jericho, NY. Theresa has fostered many Lowell Milken Center National Discovery Award winners.

Valerie Conklin: Valerie is a Library and Information Science teacher at Jericho Middle School in Jericho, NY. Under her guidance, many students have won national awards, including several Lowell Milken Center National Discovery Awards.

Sandra Hutton: Sandra is an art educator at St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville, ON, Canada. As an ARTEFFECT Ambassador in 2023–24, she has guided many students to become finalists in the ARTEFFECT Competition.

Jennifer Klein: Jennifer teaches AP US History, World Studies and Facing History and Ourselves at Weston High School in Weston, CT. She received international recognition by Yad Vashem in 2023.

Alex Lahasky: Alex is a 2023 Milken Educator who teaches Eleventh-grade Social Studies at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas. His innovative activities such as spy simulation and historical musical mixtapes, ignite his students’ passion for history.

Jordann Lankford-Forster: Jordann is an Indigenous Education for All instructional coach at Great Falls Public School. In addition to being Montana’s Indigenous Teacher of the Year, she was also the 2022 Montana History Teacher of the Year.

Meghan Menchella: Meghan is an 8th-grade United States History teacher at Crestview Middle School in Ellisville, Missouri and was recognized in 2023 as a Milken Educator. She makes history come alive for her students by turning her classroom into a stage for living history and active learning.

Meredith Reid: Meredith is a middle/high school choir teacher from Girard, KS, and a 2024 Kansas Milken Educator. She has re-established the choir program at her alma mater, where students now have opportunities to succeed at state-level contests.

Kelly Ryan: Kelly is an AP environmental science and chemistry teacher at Northshore High School in Slidell, LA. Ryan was honored as a 2023 Milken Educator. Kelly incorporates project-based learning and unique hands-on lab experiences in her classroom.

Brian Skinner: Brian is a special education teacher from Newton, KS, and the  2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year, a 2024 NEA Foundation Teaching Excellence recipient, and an NEA Board Member.

Graeme Stacey: Graeme is a 2015 U.S. Holocaust Museum Teacher Fellow and multi-award-winning Canadian educator at the Kelowna, B.C. Secondary School. He teaches Holocaust and genocide education.

Jay Weisman: Jay is a 2021 Louisiana Milken Educator who teaches geometry and statistics at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans. Jay incorporates project-based learning into his math classes, creating a joyful, collaborative environment.

Anne Frank Exhibit Now Open at the Lowell Milken Center

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes is honored to host the international traveling exhibit, Anne Frank: A History for Today, now on display through June 26 in Fort Scott.

Presented in partnership with the Anne Frank Center, the official U.S. and Canadian partner of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, this powerful exhibit offers a rare and moving opportunity to learn more about Anne Frank, her family, and the courageous individuals who helped them during one of history’s darkest chapters.

Featuring historical photographs, personal stories, and visuals from the actual Anne Frank House, the exhibit immerses visitors in the life of a young girl whose words continue to resonate with people around the world.

The Center is especially proud to bring this meaningful educational experience to Fort Scott through the efforts of Megan Helberg, a 2021 Lowell Milken Center Fellow and the current Program Coordinator for the Anne Frank Center. Her connection to both organizations played a key role in bringing the exhibit to our museum.

“We are proud to be the featured location for this meaningful exhibit,” said Norm Conard, Executive Director of the Lowell Milken Center. “Anne Frank’s story remains as relevant today as ever—reminding us of the dangers of prejudice and the strength of hope.”

The exhibit is open to the public now through June 26 at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, located at 1 South Main Street, Fort Scott, KS. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Center is closed on Sundays. Admission is free, and all are welcome.

For more details, visit www.lowellmilkencenter.org or follow us on social media.

2025 Discovery Award – Submission Deadline: July 1

The countdown is on! There’s still time for students in grades 4–12 to enter the 2025 Discovery Award competition—but the July 1 deadline is quickly approaching!

This unique opportunity invites students to uncover the stories of Unsung Heroes who made a lasting impact on history. Through Project-Based Learning, students build essential skills in research, critical thinking, and creativity while producing original documentaries, websites, or performances. Entries may be submitted individually or in teams of up to five students. Cash prizes are awarded to both students and teachers!

This competition is more than a contest—it’s a chance to shine a light on Unsung Heroes and role models who can inspire the next generation!

Learn more
Questions? Call 620-223-1312 or email [email protected]

Announcing the 2025 ARTEFFECT Awardees!

ARTEFFFECT is excited to announce 34 winners in the 10th annual competition. In total, $37,250 in prizes were awarded to the 34 winners across the middle and high school divisions.

In this year’s international competition, students in grades 6-12 explored and championed the stories of LMC Unsung Heroes—role models who made a positive and profound, yet previously unrecognized, impact on the course of history. For their entries, these young artists created original works of art and wrote reflective impact statements to reframe these untold stories in an array of artistic expressions and reflections.

“Through the focus on Unsung Heroes, these young artists make critical connections between the past, present, and future, and come to recognize their own potential to stimulate positive change in the world. The competition invites a range of mediums and artistic expressions. These award-winning projects convey the historical significance of their subjects in burgeoning contemporary styles,” said ARTEFFECT Executive Director Dr. Toni Guglielmo. “We applaud the amazing achievements of the 2025 winners.”

Thanks to a generous grant from the Chicago Society Foundation, young visitors to the Lowell Milken Center now receive a complimentary copy of Mommy, Who Was Irena Sendler?. The children pictured below recently toured the Center and were thrilled to receive signed copies of the book from the author herself! Taking full advantage of the sunshine, they headed straight to the LMC park to enjoy their new books in the fresh air.

Book Your Group Tours NOW for Spring & Summer!

There’s still time to schedule your group’s visit to the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes! Whether you’re part of a school group, senior citizen group, community organization, book club, or just a group of friends, we welcome you to dive into the inspiring stories of history’s Unsung Heroes.

Visitors are raving:

“Truly inspiring—an experience that will change you.”

“A powerful reminder that one person can change the world.”

“Our students left ready to make a difference.”

Tours are tailored to your group’s interests and ages, offering an engaging, thought-provoking experience. Don’t miss the chance to explore the lives of remarkable individuals who made a difference in history.

Dates are filling up fast—secure your spot today!