Madeline Michel has been teaching English, Math and Theatre since 1980. Originally from New York, her philosophy of education was shaped in Baltimore City, where she discovered that good teachers should always be learning from their students.

Her driving passion is student agency, which takes the form of student led playwriting, choreography, direction and design.

Michel has guided her students to create moving theatre works dealing with police brutality, racism, discrimination, racial profiling and gentrification.

She shares her 2019 Tony Excellence in Education Award with her students at Monticello High School in Charlottesville, Virginia who are the true award winners.