Islands High Science teacher Mrs. Adelyn Bankston has been recognized by the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions as a recipient of the 2022 Yale Educator Award. This award, sponsored by the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions, recognizes educators from around the world who inspire and support their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence.
Students entering the Yale Class of 2027 were asked to nominate outstanding educators who have deeply impacted their lives. Mrs. Bankston was nominated for the award by former Islands High student Miles Parkhurst, then selected as a winner by a committee in the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Of this year's 385 nominees, who represent 43 states and 28 countries, 80 teachers and 32 counselors were selected to receive the award. Matriculating students are invited to nominate high school educators, and a committee of Yale admissions officers reviews each nomination individually and designates recipients.
Yale is a top research university with a unique emphasis on undergraduate liberal arts education. All 6,400 undergraduate students enroll in Yale College, which offers more than 80 majors and hundreds of opportunities to conduct groundbreaking research. Undergraduates at Yale come from all 50 states and more than 80 foreign countries. More than 18% of Yale students will be the first in their families to complete a four-year degree, and 53% are US Citizens or Permanent Residents who identify as students of color. The 1,647 members of the Yale Class of 2027 who began their first semester in August 2023 graduated from more than 1,200 different high schools.
The Yale Admissions Office attributes the exceptional quality of the Yale student body to educators like these recipients of the 2023 Yale Educator Award, who shape their students long before they attend Yale. Exceptional educators play a unique and critical role in shaping their student's futures by encouraging them to pursue their goals.
Islands High Principal Dr. Jimmie Cave says, “We're so incredibly proud of Mrs. Bankston. This recognition is a testament to the positive, long-lasting impact she has on students." In addition to a congratulatory letter, each Yale Educator Award winner receives an engraved desk set.
