2009 – 2010 Outstanding Teacher Award

Winner Receives $2,500

Entry postmark deadline is April 23, 2010

The Americanism Educational League is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to helping young Americans learn about and better appreciate our country's history.

To show appreciation to the teachers who help students do this, AEL established its "Outstanding Teacher Award", for Civics/U.S. History/Social Science teachers in California.

Our aim is to honor a high school teacher in the above disciplines who has demonstrated in the current year and over the past few years the qualities of creativity, effectiveness and inspiration both in school and in the community.

This award is open to all credentialed teachers in the appropriate disciplines who have completed at least two years at their current school and have given of themselves for the benefit of the students and for the teaching profession in general. Activities outside of the school campus also count.

Nominations are encouraged from many sources including other teachers, school administrators, parents and students. Postmark deadline for nominations is April 23, 2010.

The winning teacher will receive a cash award of $2,500. Good teachers receive too little recognition, and we hope this award is one small step toward rectifying that.

Outstanding Teacher for 2008 – 2009

Sandra Gross, an honors level instructor in History and English at Glendale Adventist Academy, was the winner of AEL's inaugural Outstanding Teacher Award.

The award's purpose is "to honor that high school teacher in the disciplines of American history & Civics who has demonstrated in the current year and over the past few years the qualities of creativity, effectiveness and inspiration both in school and in the community." A quick glance at Gross' resume shows that she more than meets that criteria.

A teacher for almost 20 years, she has been at Glendale Academy since 1993. Her current courses include Honors U.S. History, Honors Government, World Economics and Honors English III. She is also the adviser for the Academy chapter of the National Honors Society, and a member of the school's Academic Standards and Faculty committees.

She was awarded the 2003 Excellence in Teaching Award by the Alumni Awards Foundation, and travels extensively around the world to enrich the curriculum of her classes. In the words of Glendale Academy's principal, Dr. Glen Baker, "her engaging teaching style, creative learning activities and demanding standards of excellence make her one of the most effective teachers at the school."

Our winner describes her teaching philosophy in these words: "Teachers need to model for students an advanced level of dedication to honor and excellence. Teachers who require the highest levels of performance from themselves can legitimately require it of their students. Those who lead by example earn the respect of those who follow."

Our hearty congratulations to Sandra Gross, truly an "Outstanding Teacher "!

For more information concerning this program please email us at to AELHQ@aol.com, call (626) 357-7733 or write:

Outstanding Teacher Award
Project Director
P.O. Box 1287
Monrovia, CA 91017