Congratulations to Tiffany Lachenmayr of Timber Drive Elementary School for winning the 2012 Milken Educator Award.

Lachenmayr, a fourth-grade teacher, received the award at a surprise ceremony this morning at the Garner school. The award comes with a no-strings attached $25,000 check.

The Milken Educator Award is so prestigious that it's been nicknamed the "Education Oscar." Lachenmayr was one of only 40 educators to win the award this year and the only one from North Carolina.

Lachenmayr is the first Wake County teacher to win the award since 2005.