Contact:

Staci Maiers, National Education Association  (202) 822-7823
Phil Duncan, Center on Congress at Indiana University  (703) 237-1500
Tam Taylor, Center for Civic Education  (818) 591-9321

 September 28, 2006

Three Teachers Recognized as 'Cornerstones of Democracy'

Educators from Indiana, Kentucky and Maryland
Receive American Civic Education Teacher Awards

WASHINGTON -- Teachers from Indiana, Kentucky, and Maryland are recipients of the inaugural American Civic Education Teacher Awards, recognizing their exemplary work preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens.

Following a nationwide search, the first ACETA winners are Christopher Cavanaugh of Plainfield High School in Plainfield, Ind.; Galelyn McElroy of Central High School Magnet Career Academy in Louisville, Ky.; and Donna Paoletti Phillips of Robert Frost Middle School in Rockville, Md.

The awards will be given annually to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government and related subjects who have demonstrated special expertise in motivating students to learn about the Constitution, Congress and public policy.

ACETA is sponsored by the National Education Association, the Center for Civic Education and the Center on Congress at Indiana University.

"These awards recognize three extraordinary teachers who are the cornerstones of democracy," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "They make history come alive for students while sparking an interest to learn more about the principles on which our country was built. A democracy depends on an educated citizenry. Each day they are giving students the tools to take an active role in shaping our nation's future." 

"These three award-winning teachers are at the 'head of the class' in the field of civic education, which is essential to the preservation and improvement of representative democracy," said Hon. Lee Hamilton, director of the Center on Congress. "In recognizing them, we also call public attention to the fact that many teachers across the nation are doing an excellent job molding the civic character of young people and training them to assume the obligations of citizenship."

"The Center for Civic Education has had the privilege of working with many outstanding teachers in civic education during our 40-year history, and that experience has demonstrated to us many times over the critical role the teacher plays in imparting the fundamental values and principles of our constitutional system of government to each new generation," said Charles N. Quigley, executive director of the Center for Civic Education.  "It is an honor to recognize these three individuals as representatives of their profession-teachers dedicated to bringing a thorough and meaningful understanding of civic education to students at every grade level."

The ACETA winners are in Washington this week participating in an educational program that includes attending floor sessions and committee hearings in Congress, meeting members of Congress and other key officials, and visiting sites such as the National Archives and the U.S. Supreme Court. The awardees will be recognized at a special program during the Congressional Conference on Civic Education in Washington, D.C., Nov. 17-20, 2006.

Each year the ACETA program will select and showcase three teachers whose students represent the diversity of the American public and private school systems. Applicants must be full-time classroom teachers of grades K-12. There is no fee to apply. Applications and materials for the 2007 awards will be available online in January.

To learn more about ACETA, please visit the Web sites of any of the sponsoring organizations.

About NEA 
The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

About the Center for Civic Education 
The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational corporation dedicated to fostering the development of informed, responsible participation in civic life by citizens committed to values and principles fundamental to American constitutional democracy.

About the Center on Congress 
The Center on Congress is a nonpartisan, educational institution established in 1999 to help improve the public's understanding of Congress and to encourage civic engagement.

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