At our annual “academy of awards of public education,” the stars of our schools shined bright. We honored our schools’ leading men and women and celebrated individuals and organizations that help support our public school educators.

At this year’s gala, we focused on the very real connection between educator and student through powerful student performances and with the help of budding student-directors. These junior-Spielbergs produced short films to pay tribute to their teachers with digital arts training and support from the Pearson Foundation.

Missouri educator, Kathy Steinhoff received the evening’s top honor, the NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence. She was selected from the five excellent Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence recipients. In all, 31 educators were honored before a crowd of 800 education leaders and supporters.

We presented the Pearson Foundation with the Award for Philanthropy in Public Education and Adora Svitak with the Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education.

Watch the student-produced videos

The NEA Foundation has invited union and district leaders from 12 districts across the country to participate in a structured learning experience designed to support their collaborative efforts to improve education. The union-district teams will make significant, measurable changes in collective bargaining agreements and education policies and practices to improve teaching and student learning. Each has identified issues most critical to their students and has made a commitment to work together toward a common goal: to improve the quality of education for their students.

The NEA Foundation Institute provides these leaders with a network and resources to tackle some of the most pressing issues in public education, such as increasing the effectiveness and relevance of professional development, teacher assignments, compensation systems and layoffs, and providing an equitable education to all students.

Lorraine Moore of Glendale, SC wanted her students to “experience the power of solar energy -- as scientists and as citizens.” Through the NEA Foundation-Nickelodeon grant program, her "Solar Science, Solar Society" project allowed her fourth and fifth grade students to examine solar power through experiments, hands-on investigation, and debate.