GREENDALE, Wis. -- When a Greendale teacher went to work on Wednesday, he got a $25,000 surprise.

Dan Johnson teaches third grade at College Park Elementary School.

He is the only teacher in Wisconsin to receive a national award from the Milken Family Foundation this year.

Just 80 teachers in the United States get this honor for outstanding results in the classroom.

Johnson didn't apply for the award and he wasn't nominated. An independent panel from the state Department of Instruction actually recommended him for the honor.

"The teachers that I'm surrounded by every day are so excellent. I always feel like I'm working as hard as I can to keep up with them," Johnson said.

Johnson also wins a trip to Los Angeles to meet with the other winners.

He said some of the money will go toward a trip on his own.