Teacher of the Year Award

Program Overview: The Texas Department VFW's Teacher of the Year Award honors exceptional educators who inspire students with lessons on veteran sacrifices, national pride, and American values.

Purpose: Celebrating excellence in education and promoting patriotism and civic responsibility through teaching

Geographic Scope: Texas Department of VFW; winners recognized at local, district, and department levels with advancement to national consideration

Background: Since its founding in 1899, the VFW has actively promoted patriotism and civic responsibility through education.

Grade Categories Recognized:

• Grades K - 5
• Grades 6 - 8
• Grades 9 - 12

Award Information:

• $1,000 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award to the winning teacher
• $1,000 award to the winning teacher's school
• Commemorative plaque
• All-expense paid trip to the VFW National Convention

Judging Criteria (100 points total):

• Citizenship (1-25 points): Focuses on promoting civic responsibility and community involvement
• Innovation (1-25 points): Emphasizes the use of innovative teaching methods and resources
• Resources (1-25 points): Assesses the ability to leverage external resources and opportunities for enhancing education
• Passion (1-25 points): Evaluates enthusiasm and dedication to continuous improvement in teaching

Advancement Process: Winners advance from Post level → District level → Department level → National consideration, with specific documentation required at each stage

How to Apply

Nomination Process:

1. Download the Teacher Entry Form and complete it with all required information about the nominee or yourself (self-nominations accepted)
2. Collect any additional supporting documentation as outlined in the eligibility rules
3. Submit completed forms directly to a VFW Post within the nominee's local area and state of residence
4. Note: Entries sent directly to VFW National will be returned; entries must start at the local Post level

Winner Advancement:

Once a teacher wins at the Post level, they advance through District and Department levels using the Winner Advancement Form and participation summary reports:

• Post Citizenship Teacher Participation Summary Report
• District Citizenship Teacher Participation Summary Report

Locating Your Local VFW Post:

• Visit the "Find a Post" page to locate a Post within your state and local area
• If you have challenges locating or contacting a Post, fill out the contact form for further assistance

Required Materials:

• Completed Teacher Entry Form
• Supporting documentation per eligibility rules
• Submission at local Post level required