RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

"We are so thankful for your kindness and support. We have a Science Fair coming up in February, and finding sponsors has been a difficult one. Non-traditional students have limited resources in many communities, and we want to equal the playing field. No child should be left behind, meaning public school and non-traditional students. Thank you!"

"I am beyond grateful to NSHSS for awarding me the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion grant. This grant is an incredible support for my Theatre program and will make a meaningful impact in the lives of my students. Thank you NSHSS for your commitment to arts education and for believing in the power of theatre to transform lives. I can't wait to put this grant to work at the Texas Thespian festival and I look forward to sharing the results of your investment with our community."

"I would like to thank NSHSS, DePaul College Prep, and all of my students for inspiring me to become the best teacher, coach, and colleague I can be. I feel so fortunate to be part of a community committed to honoring the inherent dignity of all people."

"Thank you to the selection committee and the national scholars organization. It's important to acknowledge the greatest teacher in my life, Jesus Christ, and the privilege of being aligned with the work that God created me to do. Thank you to my parents, siblings, my wonderful educator wife Steyven, and our daughters, who allow me to do this work. I would like to acknowledge my colleagues at ASU Prep Digital for their professionalism and dedication to student success. I would also like to recognize our student body, their families, and our Arizona State University campus partners for creating a culture of academic excellence and innovation. I believe education provides us with the best ability to eradicate institutional poverty and cultivate the next generation of industry leaders. It is a privilege to collaborate with employers, align core academic learning with employment skills, and foster a commitment to relevance in our instructional practices. I humbly accept this award and thank you for the recognition. God bless you."

"Thank you for this generous grant. Our district is suffering a major budget crisis and these funds will help my students not feel the brunt of this. Our class can still continue our amazing activities because of this grant!"

"Dear NSHSS, I want to thank you for providing this grant to help my students in the BSU and ASU so they may continue their work in cultivating a sense of belonging for students of all identities at our school. It warms my heart to know that NSHSS truly sees the value in investing in our youth. Please keep making dreams come true and never cease pouring into our greatest natural resource, our youth!"

"This grant provides our students with the opportunity to focus on the important things, like engineering and learning, rather than on where the money for their designs will come from. We are very grateful for this opportunity!"

"Thank you for the opportunity for me to highlight my students and my career. Helping students find their passion and grow as individuals is made easier with the financial support offered through organizations like NSHSS. I appreciate the hard work and thoughtful process laid out by the Scholarship and Grants committee."

"The importance of offering AP classes has been well documented-study after study reveals that students who are challenged with college level classes have more persistence, better study habits, and greater financial flexibility if they pass the rigorous exams. An AP course structured with a bedrock in the inquiry arc allows students to experience learning at a collegiate level long before they enroll in an undergraduate institution. However, it is the underlying impact that offering college level classes has on an entire school community, whether enrolled in AP classes or not, that makes advanced placement a necessity for any high school. I have been teaching AP World History for four years to mostly freshman students in the south side of Chicago. Preparing students for a high stakes exam was not the reason I got into teaching. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the importance of inquiry and student choice, which allows students to see themselves in the history of the world. When I first began this journey of teaching AP World it seemed impossible to get the majority of my students to pass the exam for college credit, and at the same time fall in love with history as I had long ago. My passion for learning stems from asking tough questions about the hard truths of world history, and then searching for my own answers with the research skills I learned from my professors or teachers. I also knew that passing an AP exam for many of my students is a game changer in a higher education system where costs have skyrocketed for families. With the grant from NSHSS I will be able to better serve the needs of my students by curating a robust research library and bypass frustrating paywalls of the elite research databases. Thank you NSHSS for providing that rigor for my students!"