Judging Panel for Teaching Award Comprised of Veteran Teachers, School Administrators, and Other Experts
MUNCIE—Ball Brothers Foundation will honor Delaware County teachers in 2023 through the Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching Award. This marks the eleventh year that the award will recognize local teachers who bring innovation, enthusiasm, and 21st century skills to their classrooms.
Teachers eligible to be nominated included those with at least three years of experience who are currently teaching in a K-12 classroom in any of Delaware County’s public school systems. Each district developed its own selection process and could submit one nomination each from the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In 2023, eleven local teachers were nominated for the award.
A panel of judges will review the nominations which include candidate statements on teaching philosophies, examples of classroom lessons, descriptions of how teachers are engaged in the communities in which they teach, and letters from colleagues, students, and parents.
The panel of judges for the 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award includes:
Dale Basham, veteran educator and school administrator
Dr. Patricia Clark, retired professor of early childhood education at Ball State University
Claudia Cummings, president and chief executive officer of Indiana Philanthropy Alliance who previously served as vice president of strategic development at Conexus Indiana where she oversaw collaborations on workforce development and education
Kate Love-Jacobson, coordinator with the City of Fort Wayne and Allen County as well as a consultant with High Performance Government Network
Wilisha Scaife, a life-long Muncie resident who is well-known for her expertise in family engagement and community leadership, having built a nationally recognized after-school program at Longfellow Elementary in conjunction with Ball State University
Dr. Neil Schmottlach, veteran Ball State University teacher educator and distinguished professor who later served as a Ball Brothers Foundation program officer and retired in 2014
The panel will select the top three candidates who will then move on to the final stages of the process. Candidates will have a short interview with foundation staff who will also visit each candidate’s classroom during a school day for a brief observation.
The winning teacher and award finalists will be announced in May. The top honor includes a $17,500 grant to promote innovation in the winning teacher’s district ($5,000), school ($5,000), and classroom ($5,000); the award also includes $2,500 to be used for a professional development opportunity of the winning teacher’s choice. Two finalists for the award also each receive a $1,000 grant to be used in their classrooms as well as $500 each for professional development.
A list of previous winners of the award can be found at ballfdn.org/excellence-in-teaching-award. Details about other Ball Brothers Foundation funding opportunities are also available on the foundation’s website at www.ballfdn.org.