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Humanities Texas is now accepting nominations for our 2021 Outstanding Teaching Awards! Given the significant challenges and uncertainties that schools and districts face during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are as thankful as ever for the hard work of amazing teachers across Texas. We look forward to continuing our tradition of recognizing outstanding K–12 educators with this next round of awards.

Each year, Humanities Texas recognizes the achievements of fifteen exemplary classroom teachers with monetary awards.

Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award

This award recognizes exemplary contributions of teachers of humanities subjects in Texas elementary, middle, and high schools. The top candidate will receive the James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of Humanities Award, an award established to honor James F. Veninga, Humanities Texas executive director emeritus, for his twenty-three years of extraordinary contributions to the state council and to the public humanities. (12 recipients)

Linden Heck Howell Outstanding Teaching of Texas
History Award

This award recognizes outstanding achievement in the teaching of Texas history at the primary and secondary levels. This award was established in memory of Linden Heck Howell, former chair of the Humanities Texas Board of Directors, as a lasting tribute to her service to the organization and her commitment to the study of Texas history.
(1 recipient)

Award for Outstanding Early-Career Teaching

This award recognizes exemplary contributions of early-career humanities teachers in Texas who have completed three or fewer years of teaching. (2 recipients)

Julius Glickman Educational Leadership Award

Humanities Texas will select one of the winners who demonstrates exceptional leadership in the educational field to receive the Julius Glickman Educational Leadership Award. The award honors former Humanities Texas board member Julius Glickman for his extraordinary leadership of our organization and many others.

All award winners will receive a $5,000 prize, with an additional $1,000 for their schools to purchase humanities-based instructional materials.

For more information on the awards, including eligibility and a list of past recipients, please visit the Teaching Awards section of our website or email ota@humanitiestexas.org. Nominations will be accepted through December 11, 2020.

To nominate a teacher, please complete the online nomination form.

(From l to r:) Humanities Texas board member Stephanie Tucker, Humanities Texas Assistant Director of Grants Allison Dillon, State Representative Ana Hernandez, Tice Elementary School Principal Toshia Gouard, and OTA winner Aurora González de Freire.
(From l to r:) Senator Larry Taylor, YES Prep Southeast Dean of Instruction Jamie Head, YES Prep Director of Academics Chris Schumacher, OTA winner Leigh Anne Rayburn, fellow teacher Nathan Hennessy and his sons, Principal Eileen Galligan, and YES Prep CEO Mark DiBella.
(From l to r:) Humanities Texas Education and Outreach Coordinator Marissa Kessenich, OTA winner Andres Lopez, Stevens High School Principal Ryan Purtel, Senator José Menéndez, and Northside ISD Superintendent Dr. Brian T. Woods.