Nominations sought for Teaching Awards

 The UNF College of Education and Human Services is accepting nominations and applications for two major teaching awards -- the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence and the Gladys Roddenberry Graduate Fellowships for Teaching Excellence.

The Prior Awards consist of four annual awards of $12,000 each to honor and reward career teachers who have demonstrated “sustained teaching excellence and inspiration of students.” The award is open to public or private school teachers in accredited Duval County schools and who have taught at least 10 years. Anyone may nominate a teacher for these awards.students, former students, parents, colleagues or administrators. No special nomination form is required. Send letters describing why the nominated teacher should be recognized as an outstanding career teacher by April 17. Self-nomination and campaigns are prohibited and may eliminate a candidate.

The Roddenberry Awards consist of five graduate fellowships of $3,500 each. The fellowships will support credit and non-credit courses at UNF. The criteria are current employment as a full-time classroom teacher in an accredited public or private school in Duval County; a minimum of three and a maximum of 10 years of full-time teaching experience; demonstrated and documented commitment to professional growth in K-12 education; and evidence of consistent excellent performance as a classroom teacher. Those who wish to pursue graduate degrees must meet the requirements for admission to the graduate program. Applications must be made directly by teachers seeking the fellowships. The deadline for applications is April 1.

Both award programs were created through a generous gift from Jacksonville based investment manager Gilchrist Berg. Berg named the awards after two of his former teachers at Ortega Elementary School, Gladys Prior, who taught fourth grade, and Gladys Roddenberry, who taught sixth grade. This is the sixth year of the program. After committing to the program for five year, Berg has agreed to continue the award program for another 20 years and increase the amount of the financial assistance every five years.

For more information, please contact the Dean’s Office, College of Education and Human Services, University of North Florida, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road, S., Jacksonville, FL 32224; phone: (904) 620-2520; fax: (904) 620-2522.

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