NCETA Awards

Outstanding English Teacher Award

The OET Award is presented each year and is based on nominations submitted by teachers and administrators across the state. After serving one year representing the best in the teaching of English, the recipient will deliver an address at the next year’s Conference, for which an honorarium of $250.00 is paid.  Nominations should include the candidate’s name, school, home contact information, and a brief statement of why the person is a worthy candidate.

Nominate an Outstanding English Teacher, Today!

Outstanding Literacy Teacher Award

The Inaugural OLT Award is based on nominations submitted by teachers and administrators across the state. Nominees for this award may be teachers from any grade level and any subject area, who are exemplary teachers of content and literacy skills.  After serving one year representing the best in literacy instruction, the recipient will deliver an address at the next year’s Conference, for which an honorarium will be paid.  Nominations should be sent to the Vice President and should include the candidate’s name, school, home contact information, and a brief statement of why the person is a worthy candidate.

Nominate an Outstanding Literacy Teacher, Today!

NCETA Early Career Teacher of Color Award

NCETA seeks to recognize and support early career teachers of color as they build accomplished careers in literacy education. While we fully support the Governor’s initiative to attract more minority teachers to the state, NCETA also believes that the retention of teachers of color deserves attention. Additionally, the purpose of this award is to send winners as state nominees for the National Council of Teachers of English award. 

Nominate an Early Career Teacher of Color, Today!

NCETA Anti-Racist Teaching Award

This award seeks to recognize exemplary teachers who are actively engaged in the work of anti-racist teaching in the state of North Carolina. The anti-racist teacher is one who actively and deliberately ensures that all students have “access to an education that is free of racism,  bias, and other forms of bigotry, and to support the intellectual development and growth of students from early childhood education to university studies” (NCTE). 
Anti-racist teaching looks like
  • Vigilant and ongoing self-awareness of one’s own relationship to race and power structures and Euro-centric values 
  • Selecting curriculum materials that lift up marginalized voices and experiences while “disrupting” problematic texts in the canon 
  • Representative historical context in the teaching of literature 
  • Acknowledging the ongoing effects of systemic racism and working to combat these effects in the classroom and school through the advocacy of anti-racist school policies and practices (curriculum and grading, discipline and behavior management, hiring and admissions). 

Nominate an Outstanding Teacher for Anti-Racist Teaching, Today!

 

NCTE Leadership Development Award

Note:  This award is contingent upon sponsorship and may not be awarded every year.

The NCTE, with support from underwriters, developed this program to nurture new leaders. Early career teachers who win this award will receive a stipend of $500 to attend the NCTE Annual Convention where they will be honored at the Affiliate Breakfast at the Convention. As a stipulation of the award, the winners and the North Carolina English Teachers Association negotiate a term of service to the affiliate which includes duties such as presenting at an affiliate conference, writing an article for an affiliate publication, serving on and assisting the affiliate board, and/or assisting with a workshop for new teachers. Winners are selected by the NCETA board.

Collett Dilworth Student Teaching Award

This award is presented each year in honor of former executive director Collett Dilworth. The award is based on nominations from across the state. The nominees must submit video evidence of their student teaching experience and supporting documentation of outstanding performance. The recipient receives an honorarium of $150.00. Nominations may be made by contacting the Colleges and University Representatives on the Board of Directors or the Executive Director.

Click here for Submission and Nomination Information

Dellinger Life-time Achievement Award

A recipient for this award is chosen from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Inspiration for the award derives from the singular service of Dixie Dellinger. Criteria are that the person has given a career to the profession, that the extent and quality of the person’s service is significantly above the high levels achieved by North Carolina leaders in the profession, and that NCETA has consistently benefited from the person’s membership.

Ragan-Rubin Award for Literary Achievement

The Ragan-Rubin Award for outstanding North Carolina writers was inaugurated in 1987 in honor of Sam Ragan and Louis Rubin, friends and mentors to generations of NC writers, artists, and teachers. Nominations may be made by any member by contacting the Immediate Past President or any member of the Board of Directors. The winner receives a plaque and a $250.00 stipend for participating in the fall conference.

NCETA Classroom Project Grants

The North Carolina English Teachers Association has established a program designed to encourage improvement in classroom instruction. NCETA Classroom Project Grants will be awarded each year to NCETA members who submit the most promising proposals for developing new approaches and enhancing current practice in English curriculum and instruction. Funding will average approximately $500 per project; grants up to $1000 are possible.

Funded projects will be directly related to English language arts instruction and will be of clear benefit to the members of NCETA and to the students and teachers in North Carolina.

Grant proposals should be submitted no later than June 15 preceding the school year of the project. For example, the proposal for a project beginning in August 2020 should be submitted by June 15, 2020. Applicants will be notified of the results of the assessment of their proposals by August 30. Recognition will be given to recipients of the grant at the NCETA Fall Conference.

Projects appropriate for funding

The objectives of funded projects might include, but are not limited to, developing classroom materials, innovating methods of instruction, designing curricula, and improving conditions of professional life. The project should demonstrate sustainability beyond the school year of the grant. Publications resulting from projects might include packets and kits, annotated bibliographies, instructional units, materials for classroom activities, anthologies of student work or a myriad of digital resources. Expenses covered might include materials, directly related travel, substitute pay, communications, and software.

Because the projects should be as widely usable as possible, support for funding will probably not be granted for expensive materials such as high cost computer hardware. Major in-service education expenses or tuition should not be included because we must assume proposers already have expertise sufficient to assure worthwhile results.

 The grant recipient is expected to:

  • Be an active member of NCETA. Individuals or groups are encouraged to apply.

  • Share results of the project at the NCETA fall conference through a 5 minute spotlight presentation to the membership.

  • Prepare a reflection and description of their findings about their project. This will be published in the NCETA journal, North Carolina English Teacher (NCET).

  • Submit a brief and concise final report of spending of the grant money.

  • Make materials which are developed available to members of NCETA. The Grants Committee will assist recipients in determining the best method for sharing.

  • Serve on the grant committee for the following year. This will involve vetting award proposals, considering development of the awards process, helping to deliver the awards at the next year’s fall conference.

Apply now! Click here.