The Salina VFW, Post 1432, is accepting nominations for The VFW Teacher of the Year award contest.
Teachers who promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette, and patriotism are prime candidates for the award. Examples include: field trips to government organizations, thank you cards/letters to veterans and/or deployed troops, participation in patriotic events or activities to help students develop a better understanding of of democratic values and beliefs.
The VFW Teacher of the Year award contest recognizes three exceptional teachers for their outstanding commitment to teaching Americanism and patriotism to their students. Each year, a certified/licensed elementary, junior high and high school teacher whose curriculum focuses on citizenship education topics can be nominated for the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Winners receive:
- A $1,000 award for professional development expenses.
- A $1,000 award for his/her school.
- Two award plaques: one for the teacher, the other for his/her school.
- An all-expenses-paid trip to attend a VFW conference to receive their award.
Steps to completing a nomination
Step 1: Nominations must be 350 words or less and describe why the nominee is deserving of the award. Include the teacher’s innovative teaching and resource development methods, as well as his or her dedication to education.
Step 2: Download and complete the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award nomination form here.
Step 3: Submit the nomination form along with the explanation to VFW Post 1432, 1108 W. Crawford, by Oct. 31. Nominations can be submitted by the nominees themselves, fellow teachers, supervisors, family members, or other interested individuals.
To view the rules, click here.
Based on the nominees submitted, VFW 1432 will recognize one outstanding teacher in grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12. VFW 1432 will then submit their winning names and required documents to their district-level judging. From there, the selected winners and required documents are forwarded to the department-level (state-level). Once they are judged on a state level, the winners are passed along to VFW National Headquarters for consideration in the national awards
contest.
For more information, contact LTC (Ret.) Richard Fisher at (580) 583-0496.