He turned essay writing into rap battles; English teacher wins $25,000 national award after 98% of students excel

US English teacher Dr Tyler Saylor has won the prestigious Milken Educator Award, receiving an unrestricted $25,000 prize for his innovative classroom approach. Teaching Grades 11 and 12 at Harlan High School in Kentucky, he encourages students to turn argumentative essays into rap performances. His teaching methods have helped 98% of his students achieve proficient or distinguished scores in writing assessments in 2025. He is the first educator from his school district to receive the honour.