Her Many Horses wins national teacher award

MISSION – Albert “Bobber” Her Many Horses, a teacher at Todd County Middle School, was surprised with a national teacher award recently in a school wide assembly.

Her Many Horses, a music and Lakota Language teacher, was named a national Milken Educator and received an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Awarded by the Milken Family Foundation, the annual presentation is part of a nationwide tour that honors exceptional educators for excellence and innovation in education. Her Many Horses is the only recipient from South Dakota this year. 

“Albert Her Many Horses shares a perspective and personal experience with the young hearts and minds he is molding within the very community that shaped him,” said Dr. Jane Foley, Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President. “Albert’s unique insight and deep understanding of the needs of his students, school and community make him an excellent leader and mentor.”

“Mr. Her Many Horses has all the hallmarks of what constitutes a first-rate teacher: He is an expert in his fields of music and the Lakota language, he is highly adaptable to new technologies and new situations, and he is an exceptional role model for his students and fellow teachers at Todd County Middle School,” said Dr. Joseph Graves, South Dakota Secretary of Education. “His hard work will inspire his students throughout their lifetimes – his dedication to them ensures that.”  

“Congratulations to Bobber Her Many Horses on receiving the Milken Educator Award,” said U.S. Senator Mike Rounds. “Bobber is a leader in the community of Mission and has had a significant impact on the students at Todd County Middle School. He is not only a role model to his students, but for teachers across the state and country as well. This well-deserved award is a testament to Bobber’s hard work, both in and out of the classroom.”

Her Many Horses earned a Bachelor of Arts in music education from Augustana University in 2011. 

He will join other honorees at an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los Angeles in June 2024, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators and other education leaders about how to broaden their impact on K-12 education.  For more information on the Milken Educator Awards can be found on their website.