Katie Botello Named
2026 National Lowell Milken Center Fellow
The Lowell Milken Center (LMC) for Unsung Heroes in Fort Scott, Kansas, an international educational non-profit, has awarded its prestigious Fellowship to Katie Botello, a video production teacher at Sunnyside High School in Fresno, CA. Katie will arrive in Fort Scott on June 21st for a week of collaboration with LMC staff and the other members of the Fellowship.
The LMC Fellowship is a merit-based award for educators of all disciplines who value the importance of teaching respect and understanding through project-based learning. The Center selects exemplary teachers from the United States and around the world who will collaborate on projects that discover, develop, and communicate the stories of Unsung Heroes in history.
Katie Botello, a video production teacher from Fresno, CA, was recognized in 2019 as a Milken Educator. Katie is the coordinator of the Video Production Academy, a three-year grant-funded program aimed at building a school within a school. Her students learn hands-on production skills and earn certifications that land them work in the industry while still attending high school.
Last year, Katie earned her National Board Certification in Career Technical Education. She is on the board for the Fresno Clovis Community Media Alliance, completed a Journalism Teacher Fellowship with Cal Matters, and is actively working with Kincade Productions to get students in California recognition through the state for completing training as a production assistant. In September, she was given a Resolution from the State of California highlighting the work she has completed with her students. She loves working with community and business partners to help give her students real-world applications of the skills they learn in class.
LMC Executive Director Norm Conard says, “Katie’s expertise and experience utilizing project-based learning and interdisciplinary instructional approaches will significantly benefit our 2026 team of LMC Fellows.”
While in Fort Scott, LMC Fellows gain knowledge, educational resources, and support in helping students cultivate a passion for learning by creating projects that initiate positive change. Fellows will be equipped to develop Unsung Heroes projects with their students, applying and evaluating the stories of these role models who have changed the world throughout history.