Double Churches Elementary School fifth grade teacher Eric Crouch joins News 3 Midday’s Community watch to tell what is was like to win the Milken Educator Award. Crouch is the first teacher in Georgia to win the national honor since 2012.

He says he felt humbled and surprised to win.

“I actually didn’t know I was nominated,” Crouch says.

He says he believes he was nominated and won based on core values he learned from his parents:

“Be patient – you’re not going to get everyone to the same place at the same time. You have to understand that it’s okay if not everyone gets it at the same time, that’s where being flexible really helps…. You’ve go to listen, you’ve got to have open ears. You can’t just have part of you there. You need to be all the way in. And the last thing is love – you’ve gotta love [the students] unconditionally.