2025 Teaching Excellence Award

The Jack Miller Center invites applications for the fifth annual Teaching Excellence Award. The award recognizes exceptional teaching in civic education and American history at the K-12 level. One applicant or nominee will be selected and receive a $2,000 prize.

We believe that your work as an educator creates engaged and thoughtful citizens. Through your wisdom, passion, and stewardship, the students of our nation will continue to grow as independent thinkers and civic-minded citizens. Civic learning depends on cultivating young minds through stories of hope, inspiration, and success. This is an opportunity to tell us how you engage students in the story of America through primary documents, new courses, and/or extracurricular activities.

We wish to recognize your efforts in and out of the classroom to inspire and educate your students in their roles as citizens of our republic.

Applications and nominations are due by August 10th. The winner will be notified by September 5th and the award winner will be announced publicly on Constitution Day (September 17th).

Notice: The winner of the Teaching Excellence Award will be featured in JMC communications.

Application Form

First Name

Last Name

School Affiliation

Course(s) & Grade(s) You Teach

Phone Number

JMC affiliation (check all that apply)

I have attended a Jack Miller Center professional development programI am a JMC newsletter subscriberThis is the first time I've heard about the Jack Miller Center

Please answer the following questions and upload your responses below in one document.

1. What do you believe is the biggest problem facing civic education today and how has it affected your teaching experience? (150-300 words)

2. How would you address this problem in your school, district, or state? (150-300 words)

3. Describe your proudest moment teaching students about America and their role as citizens. Your response should consider the ways you engaged your students in America's founding principles and history, as well as how your students demonstrated intellectual growth and critical thought. (300-500 words)

Examples include:

innovative classroom lessons or activities
extracurricular activities
student growth stories or testimonials

4. Optional: What is something you wish the Jack Miller Center knew about how to best support educators and fulfill our mission to reinvigorate the teaching of America's founding principles and history?

5. Optional: How are you thinking about teaching the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence? Are you, your school, or your district planning any special activities or events to engage students in the celebration?

6. Optional: Upload a copy of a lesson plan that demonstrates an effective way to teach America's founding principles and history.

Upload your responses to questions 1 - 5 here:

Upload a lesson plan here:

Nomination Form

Your First Name

Your Last Name

Your Email

Your Phone Number

Nominee's First Name

Nominee's Last Name

Nominee's Email

Nominee's Phone Number

Nominee's School Affiliation

Nominee's Course(s) & Grade(s) Taught

What is your relationship to the nominee?

I work with the nominee in the same school or district.I work with the nominee at an extracurricular activity.I am a parent of a student in this teacher's class or club. I am a student of this teacher. Other

Explain your relationship to the nominee.

Please answer the following questions and upload your responses below.

1. How does the nominee exemplify excellence in civic education? Tell us about the courses they teach or the extracurricular activities they lead. (150 - 300 words)

2. Describe one moment that demonstrates their commitment and passion for teaching students about America's founding principles and history. Consider how students respond to the nominee's teaching and leadership. Tell us about a particularly successful lesson, extracurricular activity, or testimonial from a student. (150 - 300 words)

3. Optional: If you have any materials that support your nomination, such as lesson plans, you can upload those materials below as well.

Upload your responses to questions 1 and 2 here:

Upload any additional files to support your nomination here: