CENTRAL - A fourth grade math teacher was surprised with a $25,000 cash prize as a reward for excellence in education and leadership. 

Ashley Davis at Central Intermediate School received the prize Wednesday, a surprise to her, her students, and her coworkers. Davis is the 3,000th recipient of the prize, which comes through the Milken Foundation, which celebrates academic achievement. 

Davis is hailed as a leader in her school and in her community for being a mentor to new teachers at CIS and helping her students succeed through her education methods. 

The Milken Foundation award is unrestricted, and some educators have used the money to fund their own classrooms, start scholarships, or even adopt children.