A New Haven educator is the recipient of the 2025 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Award.
Julia Miller was honored by her students, fellow educators, city and state leaders along with her family at a ceremony event held at the Metropolitan Business Academy (MBA).
Miller has been a teacher for 18 years and has taught social studies and civics at MBA over the past decade.
Miller began her teaching career in New York City before eventually returning to New Haven.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
She shared that as a graduate herself of New Haven Public Schools, it was very important to her to return to her community.
“The possibility of just like myself, getting to grow a next generation of New Haven Public School students to become New Haven Public School teachers was such an amazing opportunity,” Miller said.
At the event, Miller received praise from state and local leaders.
Local
Mayor Justin Elicker told the crowd of students that Ms. Miller is an example to follow.
Connecticut’s Commissioner of Education, Charlene Russell-Tucker spoke about the CT Teacher of the Year program. She described its lengthy selection process while emphasizing how big of an accomplishment the award is.
“Her goal for every student is for them to become involved, an active community member, to feel empowered to make change,” Russell-Tucker said.
During her time at MBA, Miller has also helped launch two initiatives: The Youth in Practice (YJP) restorative justice course and “Grow Your Own,” a model on how to empower the next generation of NHPS educators.
Through those initiatives along with her regular teaching is how Miller has been able to impact hundreds of students.
History major Jennifer Lopez is a former student of Miller who was present at the event.
Lopez said she could not miss seeing her favorite teacher getting the recognition she deserves.
“I’m not shocked, Ms. Miller deserves this and I’m just very proud of her,” Lopez said.
She shared that it was Ms. Miller who inspired her to become a history teacher.
“She was such an influential person to me in my high school years, that if she thought I could be a teacher, I knew I could do it too.”
