EngageAsia, a 501-c-3 not for profit organization based in New York (www.engageasia.org) administers the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award, which is funded by the United States-Japan Foundation. The Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The 2019 award will be awarded to one teacher in the humanities category (the 2020 award will focus on Japanese language). The award consists of a $2,500 monetary award and a $5,000 grant provided by the United States-Japan Foundation. It is named in honor of Elgin Heinz for his commitment to educating students about Asia as well as for the inspiration he has provided to the field of pre-college education.
Eligibility Requirements
The award is open to current full-time K-12 classroom teachers of any relevant subject in the United States. There are two award categories, one in the humanities and one in Japanese language. The 2019 award will only be open to candidates in the humanities category.
Previous award recipients often have over 10 years of teaching experience and have been engaged in teaching their students about Japan for a substantial period of time. Candidates must demonstrate sustained commitment to improving mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese, and must have made a significant contribution to enhancing students’ knowledge of Japan.
Applicants for the Japanese language category must have excellent command of the Japanese language and may be contacted by members of the selection committee to verify this.
Nomination Procedures
Applicants for the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award need not be nominated to apply. However, the Foundation is always seeking to encourage the nation’s top educators to consider applying for the award. Therefore, we welcome nominations of individuals qualified to apply for the Award.
Letters of Nomination should briefly highlight the qualifications of the candidate and must include his/her name, contact information, and indicate the school at which the candidate currently teaches.
EngageAsia, which is administering the award, will accept Letters of Nomination at any time and will inform candidates that they have been nominated for the Award. Those nominated must submit a full application as indicated below.
Nominators should keep in mind the deadline for applications is in early May. Therefore, it is recommended that nominations be submitted by early March in order to provide potential candidates the time needed to compile their applications.
Letters of Nomination should be e-mailed to EngageAsia at: info@engageasia.org
Nominating a teacher? Let AFS-USA know! Fill out this quick form after submitting your nomination.
Application Procedures & Deadlines
Applicants must submit the following documents by May 15, 2019 to be considered (please note: all materials must be submitted in one PDF document via e-mail to EngageAsia, the award administrator, at: info@engageasia.org):
- Cover Sheet that includes the following information:
- Full name and home address
- School name and address
- E-mail and telephone contact information
- The award category for which you are applying: Japanese Language or Humanities
- The subjects and grades you currently teach
- A list of Japan-related programs in which you have participated
- Names and contact information for those submitting letters of support
- A narrative (not to exceed three (3) pages typed, double spaced) describing your efforts to further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese through your classroom teaching. Please describe your classroom atmosphere and your approach to teaching about Japan or Japanese Language. Applicants should also highlight leadership positions held and detail how they have impacted other educators locally and/or nationally.
- A two-page project proposal and budget describing how you would use the award’s $5,000 project funds to enhance understanding of Japan at your school or in your school district (project funds are typically awarded to the awardees’ school and, since these funds are awarded as a grant, the Foundation reserves the right to amend this portion of the application). For example, such funds could be used to purchase curriculum material on Japan, for field trips to Japan-related organizations, to bring in guest speakers on Japan, for Japanese software, etc.
- Three letters of support from individuals or organizations familiar with you and your teaching on Japan. A letter from a student explaining how your efforts affected his/her perceptions and understanding of Japan is permissible as a letter of support. One letter must come from the school’s principal or vice principal and must express support for your project proposal in addition to supporting your candidacy for the award. Support letters can be sent under separate cover or included with all application materials.
- A professional resume
The application should be submitted in one PDF electronically to: info@engageasia.org
Deadline for 2019
Complete applications must be received by EngageAsia on or prior to May 15, 2019 to be considered for the 2019 award.
Review & Selection
A national selection committee administered by EngageAsia will review complete applications received by or on May 15, 2019. The selection committee consists of leaders in the field of education about Japan. The award winners will be announced in the summer of 2019.
Selection Committee
Ms. Patience Berkman
Chair, History Department, Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
2002 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient (Humanities Category)
Dr. Lucien Ellington
Editor, Education About Asia
Director, Asia Program
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Mr. David Janes
Senior Advisor for Institutional Development
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST)
Mr. Christopher Livaccari
Upper Elementary School Principal, International School of the Peninsula
Senior Advisor, Asia Society
Ms. Margaret Lonzetta
Independent Consultant, International Studies and Global Education
Ms. Mari Maruyama
Executive Director, Oberin Gakuen Foundation
Mr. Norman Masuda
Former Instructional Supervisor of World Languages, Palo Alto High School
2002 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient (Japanese Language Category)
Mr. Gary Mukai
Director, Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education
Ms. Lynn Parisi
Director, Program for Teaching East Asia
University of Colorado at Boulder
Ms. Leslie (Birkland) Roberts
Japanese Language Consultant
2005 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient (Japanese Language Category)
Mr. Michael Rubin
Former Director, NYC Public Schools Japanese Language Program
Additional information available here: https://www.engageasia.org/programs