American Civic Education Teacher Awards

In 2006, the Center for Civic Education, the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and the National Education Association launched the American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA), designed to recognize educators who have demonstrated a special expertise in teaching about the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress, and public policy.

Each year the ACETA program selects and showcases three teachers who have done exemplary work in preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens.

Award recipients are civic education teachers who have demonstrated a special expertise in teaching about the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress, and public policy at the state and local levels.These honorees are full-time, K–12 classroom teachers, serving in public or private schools.

2013 ACETA Applications Now Available

The Center for Civic Education, the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and the National Education Association cosponsor the American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA), designed to recognize educators who have demonstrated a special expertise in teaching about the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress, and public policy. Each year the ACETA program selects and showcases three teachers who have done exemplary work in preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens. The deadline for submission of applications is May 30.

Download: 2013 ACETA Application (pdf)

Deadline Extended! to May 30, 2013

2012 ACETA Recipients

Kevin Cline, Jaime Festa-Daigle, and Richard Ochoa received the 2012 American Civic Education Teacher Awards, which recognizes their exemplary work preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens.

The ACETA Awards are given annually to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government and related subjects who have demonstrated exceptional expertise, dynamism and creativity in motivating students to learn about the Constitution, Congress and public policy.

Press Release (June 15, 2012)

For more information, contact Maria Gallo at the Center for Civic Education by email or at 818-591-9321.

2011 ACETA Recipients

Teachers from California, North Carolina and Michigan were selected for the 2011 ACETA honors. The recipients were: James Bentley of Foulks Ranch Elementary School in Elk Grove in Sacramento, California; Cindy Jarrett of Durant Road Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina; and Mark Oglesby of Howell High School in Howell, Michigan.

2010 ACETA Recipients

Teachers from Florida, Nevada and Wisconsin were selected for the 2010 ACETA honors. The recipients were: Jacki Viana of Hialeah Middle School in Miami, Florida; Milton Hyams of Incline High School in Incline Village, Nevada; and Tamara Johnson of Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wisconsin.

2009 ACETA Recipients

Teachers from South Carolina, Virginia, and Wyoming were selected for the 2009 ACETA honors. The recipients were: Nate Breen of Cheyenne Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyo.; Sarah Ann Richardson Turpin of Clemson Elementary School in Clemson, S.C.; and Gregory Walsh of Falls Church High School in Fairfax County, Va.

2008 ACETA Recipients

In 2008, the ACETA program recognized Sally Broughton of Monforton School in Bozeman, Mont.; Cheryl Cook-Kallio of Irvington High School in Fremont, Calif.; and Julie Kuhnhein of Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Ky.

2007 ACETA Recipients

The winners of the 2007 ACETA awards were Mary Ellen Daneels of Community High School in West Chicago, Ill., Barbara Simpson Ector of Cleveland Middle School in Cleveland, Tenn., and Kevin Fox of Arcadia High School in Arcadia, Calif.

2006 ACETA Recipients

The inaugural class of ACETA winners was 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.