Educator Krissy Long receives prestigious national award
Kristien “Krissy” Long, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Neshoba Central Elementary, experienced a heartwarming surprise on Wednesday during an assembly celebrating the school’s seven-year A rating success.
Interim state Superintendent of Education Dr. Ray Morgigno and the national Milken Family Foundation not only acknowledged the school’s achievement but also presented Long with the prestigious Milken Educator Award, an esteemed honor recognizing outstanding educators for their excellence and innovation in education.
“There are so many other teachers in our school that really deserve this,” Long said. “So many of them have taught me things along the way. This award pushes me to do better. I’ve always wanted to make a huge impact, and I hope this is the door that leads to those things happening for me.”
Long received the award as part of the Milken Family Foundation’s coast-to-coast tour. The award comes with a $25,000 cash prize, providing her the flexibility to use it as she sees fit. She became Mississippi’s second recipient this season, following Jennifer Hite of Pearl.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with kids,” Long said. “From being a teenager working at Bible schools and church camps, working with kids was always fun. I also love music. I play guitar, write music, and I sing, so all signs led to me becoming a teacher. I thought it would be the best place where I could make an impact on kids and make their educational journey something that mine wasn’t.”
Long’s passion for teaching and connecting with students is evident in her colorful classroom, where she shares life stories matching the skills they’re learning. She often starts lessons with funny stories, songs, or chants, creating an engaging and memorable learning environment.
“My favorite chant that we do talks about how many inches are in a foot and how many feet are in a yard,” she said. “My kids from the past still come up to me singing that chant. It’s goofy and silly, but I think that’s why my kids find it so interesting.”
Long utilizes her unconventional and innovative teaching methods by using the menu at local Mexican restaurants to tally the bill and creates YouTube videos for students and their parents to better understand equation-solving steps.
Her daily use of Classroom Dojo, a program that allows students to accumulate points through classroom cooperation leading to an end-of-semester auction instills a sense of accomplishment, enthusiasm, and motivation in her students. Long was also an early adopter of Google Classroom, contributing significantly to its integration of the program at the school.
“For so long technology was resisted, but now we walk around with little computers in our hands,” Long said. “This generation of kids that we’re raising has anything they ever want to know right there. When we are using the YouTube channel and Classroom Dojo, we are teaching them how to gage their behaviors and find answers they have questions about by making the learning fun.”
Long’s impact extends to professional development workshops, state conferences, and district teacher advisory committees. She also serves as the math chairperson, leading Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings and vertical alignment sessions.
She earned her bachelor of science in elementary education in 2016 and a master of education in educational leadership in 2023.
“Mrs. Long thank you so much for the impact you’ve had on so many lives of children here in Neshoba County and the impact you have on fellow educators,” said Dr. Morgigno. “It’s amazing the work that you’re doing. You are in a very special group of educators, and it’s a true honor not only for you and Neshoba Central but also for the entire state of Mississippi. Congratulations!”