Annual Educator Awards

The four awards below honor the work of PK-12 classroom teachers. Candidates must be nominated by their superintendent and have five years of experience as an Ohio teacher, except team teaching candidates who must each have three or more years of experience.

Each $7,500 award is payable to the district.

A representative committee of educators will select the teachers to be honored. Only one teacher and one teaching team will be recognized as a winner in each category. These awards are presented at the Foundation’s annual Educators Awards Banquet in July.

Up to five additional nominees in each category are eligible to receive a $1,000 Award of Excellence.

Teacher Awards:

  • Arthur S. Holden Teacher Science Teacher of the Year Award - for a Science Teacher in honor of the late Arthur S. Holden, Chairman Emeritus of the Jennings Foundation. It is to be used for a science project to benefit students in the recognized teacher’s classroom, school, and/or district.

  • George B. Chapman, Jr. Math Teacher of the Year Award - for a Mathematics Teacher in honor of the late George B. Chapman, Jr. the first Chair/President of the Jennings Foundation. It is to be used for a mathematics project to benefit students in the recognized teacher’s classroom, school, and/or district.

  • Ohio Master Teacher of the Year Award - for an exceptional classroom teacher. It is to be used for a project to benefit students in the recognized teacher’s classroom, school, and/or district.

  • George B. Milbourn Team Teachers of the Year Award - for an exceptional team of teachers in honor of George B. Milbourn, former President / Chair of the Jennings Foundation. It is to be used by a team of teachers for a project to benefit students in the recognized teacher team’s classrooms, schools, and/or district. The team can be engaged in co-teaching, team teaching, and/or coaching models.

Ohio Superintendent of the Year Award:

We are pleased to offer your district the opportunity to nominate the superintendent for the Ohio Superintendent of the Year Award. The $10,000 award will be payable to the school district in the winner’s name. Candidates must have five years of experience as an Ohio Superintendent of Schools and must have served in his or her current position for at least two years. The candidate must have a Master’s Degree and appropriate certification by the State of Ohio.

A representative committee of educators will select the superintendent to be honored. He or she will be recognized as the Ohio award winner at the Foundation’s annual Educators Awards Banquet in July.

Show them you notice!
The nomination process is a easy as 1 - 2 - 3:

1. Nomination letter from the teacher's superintendent on district letterhead

2. Nomination letter from the teacher's principal, and

3. One-page only teacher narrative about why and how they teach.