Distinguished Educator Award
About the Award
The Nutrients for Life Distinguished Educator Award seeks to recognize middle and high school science teachers who are committed to discovering innovative ways to teach their students about real world issues surrounding plant and soil health, food production and population growth.
Requirements
The Nutrients for Life Distinguished Educator Award is open to current, certified science teachers grades 6-12 at accredited schools (public, charter and private) across the United States. Science teachers who also teach other subjects are eligible.
Prize Information
Four national winners will receive the Nutrients for Life Distinguished Educator Award: two high school teachers and two middle school teachers. Each winner will receive $2,500: $1,500 for personal use and a $1,000 grant for use in their science classroom, school or community.
Winners agree to be featured in a press release to be distributed to national and regional media, with the possibility of media coverage; agree to be profiled in Fertile Minds, the Nutrients for Life Foundation's quarterly newsletter for science teachers; and agree to allow their lesson plan to be posted on the Nutrients for Life Foundation Web site at www.nutrientsforlife.org and featured in Fertile Minds. Winners are required to submit a grant report, within six months after receiving the award, reporting how the $1,000 grant was used and how it benefited their science classroom, school or community through a standardized form provided upon receipt of the grant. Upon submission of the grant report, the winner will receive the $1,500 personal award.
Important Dates
Applications are accepted at any time throughout the year up to the deadline. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered for the following year.
2007-2008 school year application deadline: April 15, 2008
2007-2008 winners announced: May 15, 2008
How to Apply
To apply, please submit:
- An official entry form
- A 500-word essay on your goals as a science educator and how you work to achieve those goals
- A creative, original lesson plan designed to teach students about one (or a combination) of the following topics: plants, soil, food production or population growth. The lesson should include an assessment activity. Examples of assessments could include a pre-test/post-test, myths/realities surveys, and projects.
Applicants should state how students performed in the lesson, if objectives were met, and percentage of success at the end of the lesson plan. Three samples of student work must accompany the lesson submission.
Entries will be evaluated on a 100 point scale as follows:
- Official Entry Form: 10 points
- Original 500-word essay: 30 points
- Original, creative lesson plan with assessment: 40 points
- Three student work samples: 20 points
Applications will be judged by a diverse panel of educators.
Each application packet should consist of one copy of the required documents, collated in the following order:
- Official Entry Form
- Original 500 word essay
- Original, creative lesson plan with assessment
- Three student work samples
All application materials should be submitted on 8½" X 11" size paper, without binding or report covers. Individual application packets should be held together with a staple.
Mail completed entries to:
- The Nutrients for Life Distinguished Educator Award Program
- 2800 Post Oak Blvd., Ste 2020
- Houston, TX 77056
For questions about this program, please e-mail info@nutrientsforlife.org. Please do not e-mail us to inquire about the status of your application.
Click here to download the official entry form and application instructions.