State, National, and International Awards for Educators

Teachers across the nation are starting to demand the recognition they deserve. With a movement screaming for fair pay in West Virginia and echoing out as far as Arizona, it’s clear that all eyes are on the teachers. And rightly so. Teachers put in far more hours than your average 9-5 employee. They often wake before the sun comes up and leave work after it has gone down. Teachers are often responsible for the education, safety, and stability of dozens of children, teens, and young adults. They even work on the weekends to finish off grading, student reports, and other administrative duties. With pay so low, many teachers opt out of their Summers off to work a Summer job. It seems as though teachers are hard at it year round. Though, our understanding of this demanding profession is not new, it’s just taken a while for things to change systematically. In fact, there are thousands of people across the nation who appreciate teachers. Millions even. From fellow teachers to the students they have impacted, Americans for generations attribute their achievements from today to teacher. And these millions of Americans want to say “thanks.” And what better way to show this appreciation than with an award? The are literally hundreds of ways to say thanks in all 50 states, across the US, and even across the globe. A teacher wears so many hats, there are hundreds of reasons to say thanks as well. In addition to creating safe and nurturing environments, outstanding educators are experts in their field, remain up-to-date on the latest technologies, and find ways to reach all types of students. There are awards that recognize teachers who shine and are models to the community, teachers who are experts at teaching their subject, teachers who work with special needs students, and teachers who know how to give the gift of music and Art, teachers who advocate for diversity, and teachers who focus on environmental education. We surveyed some of the most famous teacher awards across the nation. We looked for awards that had some prestige and backing, as well as more down-home awards for teachers who may be overlooked. What we discovered is that this nation really does want to thank its teachers for their service. Take a look at over 200 awards available to teachers in all 50 states.

International Teacher Awards:

Global Teacher Prize / Inspirational Teaching
Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching / Sharing Best-Practice Teaching with the world

National Teacher Awards:

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching / Math and Science Education
Milken Educator Awards / Excellence in Education
Excellence in Theater Education / Theater
EPA / Environmental Education
National Association of Special Education Teachres / Special Education
Outstanding Earth Science Teacher (OEST) / Earth Sciences
National Council for Teacher of Excellence / English and Language Arts
Shape America Teacher of the Year / Physical Education
Arizona History Teacher of the Year / History
Apple Distinguished Educator / Superlative Technology Use
Fishman Prize / Outstaning Teaching
NFHS Awards / Coaches, Officials, Speech Debate, Theater, Music Director
National Association of Biology Teachers Awards / Biology
Grammy in the Schools / Music Education
READ 180 / Remedial Support
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching / Math and Science

Teacher Awards in Alabama:

Innovation in General Education Award / Innovative and Effective Pedagogy
Chiquita Marbury Technology Innovation Award / Technology Teachers and Leaders
Alabama Leaders in Educational Technology / Technoloy
Character At Heart / Demonstrates Positive Character/ Community Support

Teacher Awards in Alaska:

BP Teachers of Excellence and Educational Allies Award / Dedicated Remarkable Teachers
Shape Alaska / Health and Physical Education
Teacher of the Year / Teacher of the Year
Excellence in Science Teaching / Science

Teacher Awards in Arizona:

AZ Ed FoundationTeacher of the Year / Teacher of the Year
AZTEA / Technology

Teacher Awards in Arkansas:

Arkansas Teacher of the Year / Teacher of the Year
Little Rock Family Amazing Educators / Inspiring Teacher
Arkansas Council of Teacher English and Language Arts / English and Language Arts
Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education / Gifted and Talented

Teacher Awards in California: