Start Planning for The NEA Foundation’s June Grant Review

Applications are due by June 1, 2006, for both innovation grants and learning & leadership grants. Recipients will be notified by November 15, 2006. Grants fund activities for 12 months from the award date.

Innovation Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants are available for all subjects, including the arts, literacy, mathematics, science, and technology. Grant amounts are $5,000 for Innovation Grants and either $2,000 (individual) or $5,000 (group) for Learning & Leadership Grants.

The NEA Foundation has funded over 1,500 grants nationwide to NEA members over the years. Read about recent projects at the Foundation’s Web site, and submit your own idea!

All practicing K–12 public school teachers, education support professionals, and higher education faculty and staff are encouraged to apply. Applying for a grant is easy—why wait?

Visit www.neafoundation.orgtoday for more information, including guidelines and an application. Or call 202-822-7840.

Space Foundation Scholarships for Teachers

Credentialed preK–12 teachers who are of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry, or who work with students of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry, are eligible to apply for the Lucy Enos Memorial Scholarship for Teachers.

The scholarship provides a unique opportunity to travel to Colorado Springs  and participate in the Space Foundation’s annual Summer Institute program. The winner receives a travel allowance, meal and lodging expenses, and full tuition and fees to attend any one of the five weekly, in-residence courses that comprise the Summer Institute, which begins June 19, 2006.

Courses cover topics ranging from rocketry and robotics to astronomy and living and working in space, and each is designed to help teachers use space themes in their classrooms. Applications are due to the Space Foundation by April 14, 2006, and should be addressed to Dr. Patricia Arnold, Vice President Education and Workforce Development, Space Foundation, 310 S. 14th St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904. Visit www.SpaceFoundation.orgfor information.

Friend of Education Award

Nominations due April 4. NEA is now accepting nominations for the NEA Friend of Education Award. Friends of education are people whose leadership acts and support of education at the national level establish the nominee as a true friend of education, education employees, or students. Nominations are due on April 4, 2006.

Nominations must include:

• Name of the nominee
• Nominee’s position and/or organizational affiliation
• Nominee’s mailing address (or organization mailing address)
• Name of the nominator or affiliate
• Signature of nominator or affiliate officer
• Name of nominator’s local affiliate, if applicable
• Nominator’s mailing address            
• Nominator’s phone number

If the nominator is an NEA member, send proof of membership (such as an NEA Today mailing label that includes a membership number).

In 100 words or less, indicate the reason for your nomination and summarize the nominee’s qualifications for the award. Supporting materials, such as publications or videos, may be submitted along with the nomination information.

Submit all materials to: NEA Friend of Education Award Committee, Executive Office, National Education Association, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036; Attn: Carol Adams. Nomination information may also be faxed to 202-822-7974.

Calling all Super Hero Teachers!

To recognize teachers for their heroic efforts, OfficeMax, Marvel Entertainment, and TeachersCount have teamed up to present the first ever OfficeMax Super Hero Teacher of the Year contest. This competition will recognize outstanding middle school teachers and the students who nominate them by turning them into comic book characters. Students in grades 6–8 can nominate teachers by writing short essays on “Why My Teacher Is a Super Hero,” and mailing entries to TeachersCount or dropping off entries at participating OfficeMax stores until March 17, 2006.

Final judging will be performed by representatives from OfficeMax, Marvel Comics, Teachers Count, NEA, and the American Federation of Teachers. Essays will be judged on relevance, creativity, originality, and merit of accomplishments as outlined in the essay.

Winners will be announced May 9, 2006—National Teacher Appreciation Day. One grand-prize-winning teacher and student will make an illustrated cameo appearance in a mainstream Marvel comic book and will appear in a special-edition Marvel comic honoring teachers as Super Heroes. Other prizes include OfficeMax gift cards, funds for professional development, and more. Five first-prize-winning teachers and their students will appear in the special-edition Marvel comic and receive OfficeMax gift cards. Five runner-up teachers and their students will receive OfficeMax gift cards. 

Contest details, entry forms, and rules can be found at participating OfficeMax stores and online at www.teacherscount.org, www.officemax.com, www.marvel.com, and www.coverconcepts.com.

Are You an American Star of Teaching?

The U.S. Department of Education will honor outstanding classroom teachers through the American Stars of Teaching program. The Department’s Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative is seeking nominations and information about teachers who are improving student achievement, using innovative strategies in the classroom, and making a difference in the lives of their students. Teachers across all grade levels and disciplines will be honored this fall. Parents, students, colleagues, school administrators, and others can nominate an exemplary teacher who they believe has the qualities to be an American Star of Teaching. One teacher will be recognized from each state. To nominate a teacher, visit www.t2tweb.us/AmStar/Nominate.aspand fill out the nomination form. All nominations must be completed by April 15, 2006.

Come Out and Play

Kids ages 6–15 around the country can enter to win $5,000 from Nickelodeon’s “Let’s Just Play” Giveaway Program to improve their school or community program’s fitness resources. The initiative is part of the network’s “Let’s Just Play” campaign, which encourages healthy and active lifestyles for kids and families. For April and May, Nickelodeon will randomly select 20 entries each month to receive the award. To enter, kids must fill out an entry form and mail it to Nickelodeon. Go to www.nick.com/all_nick/everything_nick/for details and an entry form.

Illustrations/photos: Stockdisc Classic, Getty Images