Westfield educator wins Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, explores Southwest

Submitted by Westfield Washington Schools

Monon Trail Elementary teacher Carly Miller spent part of her summer thousands of feet above the Grand Canyon, paddling through 30 mile-per-hour winds, backpacking through Bryce Canyon, and exploring some of the American Southwest’s most remarkable landscapes.

It was an adventure by design.

Miller was selected as a recipient of the 2026 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship, an opportunity that allowed her to embark on a journey through New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah built around stepping outside her comfort zone.

Now in its 40th year, the Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program provides Indiana K-12 educators with resources for meaningful personal and professional renewal. Fellowship projects are designed to help educators explore, reflect, and return to their schools with renewed energy and creativity.

For Miller, the experience mirrored something she asks of her own students every day: be willing to try something new, even when success isn’t guaranteed.

“My goal for this fellowship was to take risks and challenge myself physically and mentally by pushing beyond my comfort zone, just like I ask students to do every day,” Miller said. “Learning is all about facing challenges and taking risks, even if it means facing failure.”

A summer of new perspectives

Miller traveled by camper and truck through the Southwest, packing her itinerary with experiences that challenged her in different ways.

She rode in a hot air balloon over Albuquerque and the Sandia Mountains at sunrise, flew in a helicopter above the Grand Canyon, and paddled across Lake Powell to reach Antelope Canyon. In Utah, she backpacked through Bryce Canyon, explored Zion National Park on horseback, rafted the Colorado River, and drove a UTV through Moab.

Her husband, Joel Miller, joined her on the journey and saw those challenges firsthand.

“During our kayaking excursion, we faced 30 mph winds, and at one point I doubted we would reach Antelope Canyon,” Joel said. “Yet Carly persevered, and later said the experience was well worth the effort.”

Carly also challenged herself creatively, learning new videography and editing skills to document the journey.

“These adventures stretched me, and so did the landscape,” Carly said. “This trip helped me build strength and perseverance and discover parts of myself I did not know existed.”

Bringing the experience back to Monon Trail

The fellowship may have taken Miller far beyond Westfield, but the lessons she brought home connect directly to her work with students.

Midland Crossing Instructional Coach Laura Mates said Miller’s experience reflects the way she already approaches education: recognizing that different students may need different paths to reach the same destination.

“Carly was able to experience firsthand that there is never just one way to see something, which beautifully reflects who Carly is as an educator,” Mates said.

That willingness to seek a different perspective can be especially valuable when a student encounters a challenge.

“She reminds all of us that sometimes a different perspective is exactly what is needed to unlock a student’s potential,” Mates said.

Assistant Principal Hether Darnell said Miller’s experience also reflects values Monon Trail works to instill in students and staff.

“At Monon Trail, we encourage both students and staff to embrace challenges, take risks, and never stop learning,” Darnell said. “Carly’s fellowship experience embodies those values.”

Principal Jeremy Marvel said the opportunity was a fitting recognition for an educator committed to continually improving her work.

“Carly is the type of educator who is always looking for ways to grow and make a difference for students,” Marvel said. “Her willingness to challenge herself is a great example of the passion and commitment she brings to our school each day.”

For Miller, those lessons in perseverance, confidence, and embracing the unfamiliar now return with her to the classroom.

Congratulations to Mrs. Miller on this incredible opportunity and for continuing to model lifelong learning for her students.

You can see more photos from her trip as well as other educators’ adventures by searching for #TeacherCreativityGrant on Instagram.

Photos provided by Carly Miller