Maryland educator wins $1 million Global Teacher Prize

A Maryland high school English teacher who has worked to open up college education for her students has won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize. The Varkey Foundation announced Wednesday that Keishia Thorpe, who teaches at International High School at Langley Park in Prince George’s County, was selected from more than 8,000 nominations and applications from 121 countries around the world. Thorpe says she’s to the foundation for putting teachers in the spotlight and telling their stories.  The foundation says Thorpe redesigned the 12th grade English curriculum to make it culturally relevant to her students, who are first-generation Americans, immigrants or refugees and her English language learners. She also helps students apply for college and scholarships.