Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/610158
WINTER 2015/16 | ADVOCATE 19 AEA Awards and Grants The Arizona Education Association and the AEA Foundation for Teaching & Learning offer grants and awards that support excellence in education, fund innovative teaching projects, and provide scholarships to education students. All applications are available online at www.arizonaea.org. Please see the individual applications for submission deadlines. Around AEA Christa McAuliffe "I Touch the Future, I Teach" Award Purpose: The AEA awards an educator who is recognized by their peers as an educator who inspires them and makes them proud to be a teacher. Named for Christa McAuliffe, the first American civilian—and teacher—in space, this award honors an Arizona educator. The state winner becomes AEA's entrant in the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence competition. Eligibility: The nominee, nominated by a peer, must be an AEA member who exemplifies excellence in teaching by advancing student learning, addressing issues of cultural diversity, advocating for the profession, providing leadership among colleagues, being a lifelong learner, and using creative or innovative ideas. Award: A permanent plaque bearing the names of each year's recipient is displayed at AEA headquarters in Phoenix. The honoree receives a $1,000 cash award. Presentation of the award and plaque is made at the AEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence. The NEA Foundation offers a $25,000 honorarium for the national honoree. Application: www.arizonaea.org/assets/document/mcauliffe.pdf ESPecially for Kids Award Purpose: The AEA recognizes extraordinary efforts by classified education support professionals on behalf of young people. Eligibility: The recipient must be an AEA member and work in an education support (classified) position. The award winner may be an individual, a group of ESP members within a wall-to- wall unit, or an ESP affiliate. The effort for which the winner will be recognized should directly benefit students in some way and go beyond the usual expectations of any particular job held by the employee(s). Award: A permanent plaque bearing the names of each year's recipient is displayed at AEA headquarters in Phoenix. The honoree receives a $1,000 cash award. Presentation of the award and plaque is made at the AEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence. Application: www.arizonaea.org/assets/document/especially.pdf Human and Civil Rights Award Purpose: The AEA recognizes leadership in promoting ethnic minority participation in the Association, programs or activities that lead to improved human relations, efforts that lead to improvement in school district support of human and civil rights, or successful implementation of human and civil rights in Arizona education. Eligibility: Any AEA member, as well as a current or past Arizona resident who worked in the state. Award: The honoree is featured in the AEA Salute to Excellence award booklet and on the AEA website. The honoree receives a $1,000 cash award. Presentation of the award and plaque is made at the AEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence. Application: www.arizonaea.org/assets/document/hcr.pdf Diversity Award Purpose: The AEA Diversity Award recognizes excellence in teaching or promoting diversity, tolerance, and respect for humankind through an instructional program or curriculum. Eligibility: Any AEA member or team of AEA members may be nominated for this award. Award: The honoree is featured in the AEA Salute to Excellence award booklet and on the AEA website. Presentation of the award, a plaque, is made at the AEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence. Application: www.arizonaea.org/assets/document/diversity.pdf Affirmative Action Award Purpose: The AEA Affirmative Action Award honors leadership in increasing the number of ethnic-minority students choosing to enter teaching, efforts that improve school-district hiring practices and increased minority employment, and successful implementation of affirmative action policies within school districts. Eligibility: Any AEA member, AEA local association,or Arizona public school district may be candidates for this award. Award: The honoree is featured in the AEA Salute to Excellence award booklet and on the AEA website. Presentation of the award, a plaque, is made at the AEA Foundation's Salute to Excellence. Application: www.arizonaea.org/assets/document/affirmative.pdf Awards Astronaut Christa McAuliffe, 1985. Photo Credit: Public Domain NASA.