A well-kept secret generated genuine excitement at Waialua High and Intermediate School Friday when robotics teacher Glenn Lee received the prestigious Milken award.

During a surprise assembly at the school in front of more than 500 screaming and applauding students and staff, Gov. Neil Abercrombie presented Lee with the award and a check for $25,000.

No one at the school, not even Principal Randiann Porras-Tang, knew the reason for the governor’s visit, that a teacher would be receiving the award or that Lee would be the one honored.

"It’s surreal right now," Lee said afterward. "I’m still in shock. I’m just very appreciative, very grateful and just very, very shocked. … It just feels like I won the lottery."

Teaching was not Lee’s first career choice, the former engineer told the crowd. But he’s been loving it for more than 17 years.

"A long time ago I was convinced to try this out, and I never thought I’d be here today," Lee said.

He thought Friday’s assembly was meant in part to honor his robotics team, which won an award in April that goes to only one of 4,000 robotics teams in the world each year.

He stood casually in the corner as the assembly began, crossing his arms across his chest.

Abercrombie was running late, so Porras-Tang stalled. Student athletes were honored, band members sang "Jingle Bells" and other academic awards were presented.

Then Porras-Tang changed the pace and energy of the assembly, shouting, "O-M-G, take a look at the left!"

Students screamed, clapped and laughed. Abercrombie had arrived.

"Do we recognize that person? Can somebody tell me who that is?" Porras-Tang yelled excitedly into the microphone as the cheering grew louder.

"Somebody’s going to be made very, very happy today," Abercrombie boomed into the microphone. "You’re going to be very, very proud of what happens today."

"There’s a teacher out there — a friend, a mentor," he continued. "This teacher is going to be recognized in a big, big way in just a moment."

All eyes were fixed on the stage. Lee continued to stand in the corner with his arms crossed, unfazed.

"It’s just like the Academy Awards of teaching!" Abercrombie said, referring to the annual educator awards from the Milken Family Foundation. "Does anybody want to know who that teacher is? I’m going to open that envelope right now."

Several students in the audience made a drum roll noise with their mouths.

Abercrombie, playing off the energy of the crowd, carried on the suspense after opening the envelope.

Abruptly he announced "Mr. Glenn Lee!" as the winner.

Lee stood stunned, barely moving at first. All eyes were on him.

When he finally started walking cautiously around the perimeter of the crowd toward the stage, he reached his hand up to his face again and placed the other on his lower back, bracing himself.

"Can we have a round of applause, everybody?" Porras-Tang yelled to the already roaring crowd.

Lee made his way to center stage and grasped the hands of Abercrombie and schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, raising them high in triumph.

An oversize check made out to Lee was unrolled in front of the group, and all three held it up for pictures. It looked like Publisher’s Clearing House prize patrol had just shown up.

"Thank you very much," Lee said when he was handed the microphone.

"This is a special thanks to all my colleagues and my friends that I truly respect," he went on, his voice starting to crack with emotion. "This award goes out to all of you."

As the assembly concluded and students rushed to take pictures with the governor, Lee began giving interviews. But that didn’t stop kids from saluting him.

"Congratulations, Mr. Lee!" one of his students, 10th-grader Cheryl Crabb, shouted through the crowd on her way back to class.

"I was like, ‘Oh, my God,’ I was really happy for him," she said. "I was filled with joy that he won because he really deserves this. He works hard for this."

Around the nation, 40 teachers received the award this year. Lee is the 70th Hawaii educator to win the award since 1990.

"We’re really proud," Porras-Tang said. "When you recognize one, it’s like you recognize all (teachers)."

Over the past four years, Waialua High and Intermediate’s graduating valedictorians have all gone through Lee’s robotics program.

All of his students go on to college, and since the 2007 school year, 87 percent of them have met proficiency in reading and math on the Hawaii State Assessment.

Lee said he plans to put some of the money toward an education fund for his 2-year-old daughter, Janel, donate to school programs and take his wife, Auria, out for a nice dinner at Morimoto in Waikiki.

He said he wants to make up for all the nights, weekends and holidays he’s spent at the school working with his robotics students and thank her for her patience and understanding.

"I don’t know what my wife’s going to say, but she’s the first one I’m going to tell," he said.