RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

"I am truly grateful for being selected as a recipient of this grant. Your support will help cover the remaining costs of attending the CyberCon conference in Chicago, allowing me to take full advantage of this valuable professional development opportunity. This experience will not only enhance my knowledge but also enable me to bring new insights back to my students and colleagues. Thank you for investing in my growth and supporting educators in advancing their fields. I deeply appreciate your generosity."

"Thank you, NSHSS, for support public school students and our Habitat for Humanity Club! I believe that the service-learning trips that our club takes to the Mississippi Delta provide one of our school's best educational experiences for students. Testimonials from the kids are always overwhelmingly positive and often very moving. These grants make a big difference!"

"I chose to be a part of NSHSS after I was invited by one of my students because I wanted to live what I say. I always tell my students to go after every opportunity given to them because you may never know how it will turn out. Being a member of NSHSS has provided me with the opportunity to return to school to enhance my education so I can better serve my students."

"Thank you, NSHSS, for helping to provide the tools needed to make my classroom a fun and effective place to learn and grow!"

"Being named the Educator Coach of the year for 2020 by the National Society for High School Scholars has reaffirmed my hard work and dedication to students over the past 35 years of my teaching career. Receiving the $5,000 grant in the midst of the COVID–19 Pandemic has definitely been a blessing since it arrived at a time when it was desperately needed. I am thankful and humbled to have received such an outstanding honor from such a prestigious organization."

"Thank you, NSHSS, for recognizing the hard work of educators. I have been a member of this great organization for almost 20 years and I appreciate the continued support and encouragement. This grant will help me continue to effectively teach Calculus to my amazing scholars."

"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!"

"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!"

"I am grateful to NSHSS for awarding me this grant, which will play a vital role in helping me continue to enhance my work with students. This opportunity allows me to further develop the skills necessary to create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment. Being part of this community has shown me the power of encouragement, support, and resources in breaking down barriers and achieving academic success. I hope my journey inspires others—whether students or fellow educators—to pursue their goals with determination and to believe in their potential to make a meaningful impact."