CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - A local librarian got a special surprise Tuesday.
Jennifer Gordon received the Milken Educator Award to recognize her excellence in teaching.
As part of the award, Gordon takes home $25,000. She’s one of just 40 people in the country to receive the honor.
“I’m extremely honored and still shocked, completely shocked … mind blown,” she said.
Gordon is a librarian at the Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School in Cambridge.
She says this job is what she’s always dreamed of doing.
“This is my dream job. This is what I wanted to be when I was a kid,” she said.
Gordon says she’s enthusiastic about getting kids to love reading as much as she does.
“I am overly enthusiastic about reading and books, and I think that carries over to the kids,” she said.
Students say Gordon’s love for reading has rubbed off on them.
“She works hard to make students love books,” said Dayllen Freire-Depinaa.
“She helped me find my favorite book series,” added Daijon Clarke.
The kids say Gordon’s impact reaches far beyond helping them read, which is why she is more than deserving of the award.
“She always has a way to make people smile,” Yonatan Zeref said. “She makes me feel like I want to be a librarian, maybe.”
Gordon says she’s grateful for the recognition, something most teachers don’t often get.
“Teachers do amazing things every single day, and there’s not enough recognition for that,” she said.
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