The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award Grant

The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Ascap Foundation
Amount: US $5,000
Last Updated: February 05, 2026

Summary

The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award, presented by The ASCAP Foundation and the Educational Theatre Association, recognizes outstanding middle and high school musical theatre teachers. Awarded annually, the recipient, selected by a panel of experts, will receive a $5,000 prize and be honored at the EdTA Theatre Education Conference in Minneapolis, MN. This prestigious award highlights the significant impact of dedicated educators in shaping the future of musical theatre.

Overview

The ASCAP Foundation We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supported by contributions from ASCAP members and music fans throughout the United States. We operate and support vital programs that impact millions of music creators and music lovers of all ages every year. The Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award About The Foundation, EdTA and Stephen Schwartz wish to recognize the highest level of achievement for a middle or high school musical theatre teacher. The annual Award is named after Stephen Schwartz, the four-time Grammy and three-time Oscar winner who has written the music and lyrics for the Broadway hit Wicked and has contributed music or lyrics to Godspell, Pippin and more. The Award is administered by The Foundation and EdTA. All nominations will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of EdTA award-winning teachers, EdTA leaders, musical theatre industry professionals, and representatives of the Foundation. Prize One eligible Nominee demonstrating the highest level of achievement will be selected as the Award Recipient and will receive a monetary prize of $5,000. The Award Recipient will be announced at the EdTA Theatre Education Conference at The Depot in Minneapolis, MN.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. To be eligible for consideration for the Award, a nominee must be a middle or high school musical theatre teacher who is currently employed as such and is in good standing at their employer school. Nominees must be, at the time of entry:a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident or enrolled student with a valid and current U.S. student visa and at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in the state or country of residence, whichever is older.To be considered for the Award, Nominees must be nominated by themselves or by a student, peer or a principal (excluding family members) by submitting the following materials:the nomination form, including a description of up to 500 words describing the Nominee’s program and career accomplishments (including, for example, productions, festivals and one-act competitions the Nominee has worked on, their successful student alumni and their impact beyond the school);a video of under three (3) minutes in length, available via a shared streaming link (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo etc.), that tells the story of the impact the teacher has had on students and/or colleagues. Videos should include testimonials, photos and clips from teacher’s showcases that represents their work; andtwo (2) letters of recommendation of 300 words or less from a school administrator/employer, a colleague/peer or student, (excluding family members).

Ineligibility

Previous Award Recipients are not eligible to receive the Award.Void where prohibited by law and outside the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Judges of the Award or anyone involved in the Judging Procedure as set forth in the Award Requirements are not permitted to enter or win the Award. Employees, officers and directors of the Foundation, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and any affiliated company, organization or entity, and their immediate family members, are not eligible to participate in the Award. For purpose of the foregoing, “immediate family” means parents, spouses, children, siblings or any members of the same households of such employees, officers and directors.