Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Former Soccer Standout Receives Prestigious Award
5/18/2016 5:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Laura Miguez Howarth Honored with award for educational leadership
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Former Blue Raider soccer standout Laura (Miguez) Howarth was honored Tuesday by the Accelerate Institute as the first of two Ryan Award winners in 2016. The award, now in its fourth year, recognizes exceptional leadership in closing the achievement gap in urban K-12 schools.
Recipients of the prestigious Ryan Award must be nominated by leaders from the education community and exhibit a measurable record of consecutive student achievement growth across a period of four or more years as a principal.
"Being nominated and receiving this award makes me overwhelmingly humbled," Howarth said. "I'm extremely grateful for the nomination and for all the people that I work with that make this possible. I'm very honored to be in this type of company."
The perks extend far beyond the recognition for Howarth, who also receives a $25,000 honorarium as well as the opportunity to instruct others on her successful teaching methods at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. The two Ryan Award recipients for 2016 will also be celebrated at the Accelerate Institute's annual Impact Dinner in Chicago on Sept. 29.
"First and foremost, [teaching at Northwestern] is a great opportunity because I'll be able to remain in my current position and continue to improve on the work I have done so far at the KIPP Academy," Howarth stated. "But it is also great to be able to involve more people in education and really influence the future generation of educators in our country."
Howarth has served as the principal at the KIPP Academy in Nashville since 2011, where she began her teaching career in 2008.
The Dallas, Texas, native played at Middle Tennessee from 2001 to 2004 and left as the school's all-time leader in points (87), goals (28) and assists (31).
"Being an athlete at Middle Tennessee prepared me in a multitude of ways for my current role," Howarth added. "Everything from working as a part of a team to setting goals for myself and being able to obtain those goals are ways that being a soccer player equipped me for my career as an educator."
Recipients of the prestigious Ryan Award must be nominated by leaders from the education community and exhibit a measurable record of consecutive student achievement growth across a period of four or more years as a principal.
"Being nominated and receiving this award makes me overwhelmingly humbled," Howarth said. "I'm extremely grateful for the nomination and for all the people that I work with that make this possible. I'm very honored to be in this type of company."
The perks extend far beyond the recognition for Howarth, who also receives a $25,000 honorarium as well as the opportunity to instruct others on her successful teaching methods at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. The two Ryan Award recipients for 2016 will also be celebrated at the Accelerate Institute's annual Impact Dinner in Chicago on Sept. 29.
"First and foremost, [teaching at Northwestern] is a great opportunity because I'll be able to remain in my current position and continue to improve on the work I have done so far at the KIPP Academy," Howarth stated. "But it is also great to be able to involve more people in education and really influence the future generation of educators in our country."
Howarth has served as the principal at the KIPP Academy in Nashville since 2011, where she began her teaching career in 2008.
The Dallas, Texas, native played at Middle Tennessee from 2001 to 2004 and left as the school's all-time leader in points (87), goals (28) and assists (31).
"Being an athlete at Middle Tennessee prepared me in a multitude of ways for my current role," Howarth added. "Everything from working as a part of a team to setting goals for myself and being able to obtain those goals are ways that being a soccer player equipped me for my career as an educator."
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