Michigan Lottery Connect

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Brian Michael with his Excellence in Education check.

A Macomb County educator who was inspired by the values and importance of education instilled by his own mother has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Brian Michael, is an English teacher for Fitzgerald High School. The school is a part of the Fitzgerald Public School District in Warren.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 and WILX in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Michael will air this evening.

Michael said that his mother was a preschool teacher for more than 35 years and seeing the passion and love she put into her work inspired him to become a teacher himself.

“As I grew up, I was fortunate to have had extraordinary teachers who helped shape me as a person and showed me the impact that a teacher can have on a student’s life. I think I always knew that wherever life took me, that I wanted to make an impact somehow and in some way; to see what my own teachers did for me growing up and seeing the heart and dedication that my mom would put into her job teaching preschool, I thought ‘Why not give back and try to do the same for the next generation?’ With that, going into teaching felt like the natural career choice and I’ve never regretted it since.

“As a teacher, what drives me is my desire to always put people – students and families first; I think relationships are vital to driving the curriculum and instruction for a student to receive any content you’re about to teach. I would like to think that in many ways, I’m a servant leader for students, families, and colleagues.”

Michael was nominated for the award by a former student.

“Mr. Michael is an extraordinary figure at Fitzgerald High School, embodying more than a teacher -he is a parent, mentor, friend, and a constant source of inspiration to all students. His dedication, treating every student as his own, is truly remarkable, making him one of the most inspiring, caring, and kind individuals many have ever met. His love for his job as both an English teacher and Senior Class Advisor is inspiring.

“Mr. Michael’s dedication and genuine empathy leave a lasting impression on everyone. His passion for educating and touching hearts is clear. He provides a safe space for students, advocates for them, and offers guidance with his signature mix of sarcasm and warmth. His actions alone teach students the vital lesson of putting everything into their future endeavors. He always shows up for students, teaching lessons that go far beyond academics, giving students patience, honesty, humor, and a reliable presence. He is there when everything else is falling apart, whether organizing events or simply being there for you to vent. His mutual respect and care, often hidden beneath playful back-and-forth humor and jokes, are profound. He knows exactly when to push, check, or let students breathe, offering advice like an older brother.

“His words have challenged students to think bigger, push past their limits, and embrace failure as an opportunity to grow, instilling in them the courage, resilience, and determination to decide their futures. The students are better people because of him.”

Michael earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Oakland University and has been an educator for 13 years, the last 10 in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools, or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
• Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
• Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
• Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
• Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.