Name: Taylor Trost

Subject(s) Taught: Elementary

Grade(s) Taught: 4th Grade

School: Grace Norton Rogers Elementary School

District: East Windsor Regional School District

Video: Taylor Trost Milken National Notification

Taylor Trost’s classroom is a hub of innovation and inclusivity, reflecting her commitment to ensuring that every student receives a high-quality education. Trost teaches a fourth-grade inclusion class that is grounded in project-based learning, songs and physical activity that keep her students engaged throughout the school day. Her approach pays off: Her students show consistent achievement gains in reading and math as measured by state and district assessments.

One memorable lesson involved the creation of a faux campfire in her classroom, complete with a fan and orange paper, to inspire students to write and share their own “campfire story” as part of a lesson to develop students’ creative writing and public speaking skills. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she stepped up to help bridge the unexpected technology needs between the school and its families, working with the principal and the technology team to develop a remote-learning model, including virtual field trips, that was adopted by the school district.

Outside of the classroom, Trost is a leader in her own right, stepping into the lead teacher role at the school during her second year of teaching. She supervises student teachers, mentors new teachers, and regularly invites peers to observe her classroom. Her innovative teaching methods, positive leadership and creative approach to education has earned the respect and trust of students and colleagues alike.

It is no surprise that parents at Grace Norton Rogers Elementary regularly request Mrs. Trost for their rising fourth graders. One of her classroom’s goals for parents is to “maintain open, accessible and supportive lines of communication.” One of the ways she has achieved this is by developing rubrics for parents to better understand their students’ grades and hosting weekly calls to parents to more closely involve them in their children’s education.

Trost received a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and English literature from Rowan University in 2015.

Name: Riley Gartland

Subject(s) taught: Mathematics

Grade(s) taught: 9, 11, 12

School: Cinnaminson High School

District: Cinnaminson Township

Video: Riley Gartland Milken National Notification

Riley Gartland creates a safe space for learning while setting high standards for her students at Cinnaminson High School, where she teaches 9th, 11th and 12th grade math. In the six years she has been in education, she has already made great strides by taking the accelerated calculus program from one class of 20 to two full sections. Gartland uses real-life applications of math to bring her classroom to life. Students create board games, make Sierpinksi triangles and use current math technology like Desmos to create art. Gartland creates individualized achievement plans for each student by pre-testing to determine their current level, and incorporates one-on-one meetings to provide tailored support. These efforts have led to notable achievement growth among students of all abilities, with many consistently outperforming the county and state. 

A trusted role model outside her classes, Gartland’s classroom is often full of students at lunch. She serves as the school National Honor Society advisor, planning the induction ceremony and reception, as well as chaperoning the prom and a senior class trip to Disney World. She serves as the freshman class advisor, mentoring students during all four years at Cinnaminson, plans fundraisers, spirit week and the school blood drive. Gartland’s leadership extends beyond her classroom to her collaboration with the math department. She shares her data analysis resources with colleagues and helps develop lessons for students to see strong ties to learning standards and consistency across classes.

Active in professional development and committed to a positive school environment, Gartland recently completed a degree in Educational Leadership and leads the Sunshine Committee, aimed at improving teacher morale and rewarding colleagues’ commitment to the school. Teachers are offered dress-down days for participating in school activities with prize-filled scavenger hunts held before long breaks. During district professional development, Gartland has been instrumental in training colleagues on new technology and resources, including helping colleagues more seamlessly implement remote instruction during the pandemic.

Gartland received a Bachelor of Arts in education and mathematics from Rowan University in 2016.

Name: Virginia Fasulo

Subject(s) Taught: Science

Grade(s) Taught: 10, 11, 12

School: Lodi High School

District: Lodi Borough

Video: Virginia Fasulo Milken National Notification

With a strong personal interest and background in the medical profession, Virginia Fasulo first began teaching through the American Cancer Society before moving into teaching in the classroom. Fasulo focuses on strengthening career pathways for her students at Lodi High School, with an emphasis on medicine, where she teaches 10th - 12th graders Pre-Med Survey, Dynamics of Healthcare and AP Anatomy in the summer. Instrumental in creating the Pre-Med and Agriculture curriculum, Fasulo’s students maintain a chicken habitat in an urban setting, which she takes care of during summers and holidays, and uses to reinforce the connection between environment and animals. With a focus on hands-on, student-led and inquiry-based instruction, part of her classroom is set up as a hospital room with mannequins and 3D software to diagnose them, as well as exercise equipment for exercise science. She organizes various field trips for students, in person and over Zoom, to connect them with their potential career paths, including opportunities to observe surgeries, as well as CPR and Stop the Bleed emergency first-aid training. Students report choosing careers in these fields as a result of her influence.

Fasulo leads Lodi’s biology and astrophysics clubs, a pre-med club, and a HOSA - Future Health Professionals chapter, all with increased participation under her guidance. She is deeply invested in helping students and her colleagues grow and flourish, as she leads department professional development, and is active in the development of both curriculum and new teachers.

Fasulo earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from State University of New York at Albany in 2006, a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from SUNY Albany School of Public Health in 2010, and a Master of Arts in teaching from William Paterson University in 2015.

NJ Milken Honorees