The NEA Foundation

NEA Foundation Honors Five Public School Educators with National Award - NEA Foundation The NEA Foundation announces the names of five public school educators receiving the coveted 2026 Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence.

The NEA Foundation is thrilled to announce the five recipients of the 2026 Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence, one of the highest honors in public education!

“At one point, I seriously considered walking away from my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. Recognition like the Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence is a powerful affirmation of purpose.” –English Educator Daneé Pinckney of Twinsburg, Ohio

Congratulations, Daneé!

From Debate to Democracy: How a Group of Eighth Grade Students from Arkansas Took Their Advocacy to the Nation’s Capital - NEA Foundation When 5th-8th Grade Visual Arts, Debate, and Robotics Educator Hosea Born applied for one of the NEA Foundation’s Grants to Educators, he had a plan. His proposed grant project would broaden his…

When 5th-8th Grade Visual Arts, Debate, and Robotics Educator Hosea Born applied for one of the NEA Foundation’s Grants to Educators, he had a plan. The plan was to travel as a class from the small town of Hope, AR to Washington, D.C., not just to sightsee, but to be heard.

“Receiving the Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence is deeply humbling. It represents the power of persistence, representation, and the impact that educators can have when they choose to see every student’s potential.” –Bilingual Counselor Ana Báez of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Congratulations, Ana!

How Community Schools Are Building Pathways to Opportunity in the Mississippi Delta - NEA Foundation The Mississippi Delta region, rich in history and culture, turns to community engagement and partnerships to increase opportunities for all.

In the Mississippi Delta, Community Schools are creating pathways for opportunities.

Discover how educators, district leaders, and community partners are coming together to bridge the gap and drive meaningful change.

www.neafoundation.org/ideas-voices...

Melaney Sanchez, a Teacher Librarian from Calvert County, Maryland, was a participant in this year's Global Learning Field Study.

At the end of her time in Costa Rica, she reflected on the expedition and the impact of the Global Learning Fellowship.

Our Global Learning Fellows have now started their school visits during the Costa Rica Field Study. 🌎

Let's check in with Robin McLean, a middle school agricultural science educator from Columbus, New Jersey.

The NEA Foundation Supports Educator-Led Projects in Community Schools with “Mini-Grants” - NEA Foundation The NEA Foundation is pleased to award mini-grants to eight innovative educators who are changing the way schools center students and families in the Deep South.

With the gracious support of the Spencer Foundation, the NEA Foundation is pleased to award mini-grants to eight innovative educators who are changing the way schools center students and families in the Deep South.

Every Child Deserves a Black Teacher - NEA Foundation Dr. Micia Mosely, founder of the Black Teacher Project, explains why every child deserves a Black teacher and to advocate for Black educators

Dr. Micia Mosely is the Founder & Director of the Black Teacher Project, and also the recipient of The NEA Foundation’s 2025 Equity Partner Award.

Hear her perspective about the importance of a Black educator in the classroom.

From Patrol to Possibility: How the Community Schools Model Transformed My Purpose - NEA Foundation Katrina Joy shares her powerful story of transitioning from a career in law enforcement to serving as a teacher lead in a community school.

The concept of the community schools model was transformative for a former police officer who turned into an educator.

Learn more about Katrina Joy, a Community School Teacher Lead in Anaheim, California.

www.neafoundation.org/ideas-voices...

Grants for Educators - The NEA Foundation The NEA Foundation supports public schools through grants for educators and a unique year-long global fellowship.

The latest application period for the Grants to Educators grant cycle has opened! Apply for grant funding to bring your vision to life or enhance your classroom instruction.

💻 Apply Now: www.neafoundation.org/educator-gra...

From Arkansas to South Africa: How a Global Learning Fellow Is Bridging Cultures through Music - NEA Foundation Arkansas music educator FaBion Barnes shares how the Global Learning Fellowship transformed her teaching and perspective.

In less than two weeks, our 2025 Global Learning Fellows will embark on their field study journey in Costa Rica.

In 2022, FaBion Barnes took the same leap, but to South Africa. Hear about her story and how the Global Learning Fellowship has impacted her!

Reginald Ballard, our Vice President of Policy & Communications, represented the NEA Foundation at the recent State Education Association Communicators (SEAComm) Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Our Foundation staff have traveled across the country this year, and we hope to connect with you!

After competing in the National Speech and Debate Association's Congressional Debate over the academic year, his students will have the opportunity to experience advocacy and civics firsthand.

Impact In Action!

This week, Emma Larson, our Program Officer for the Grants to Educators program, connected with Hosea Born, a recent GTE grantee and educator from Arkansas.

With his Student Success grant, Hosea was able to bring his 8th-grade debate team to Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA.

Michael Dunlea III is an NEA Foundation grantee and a 2020 Global Learning Fellow. Michelle Pearson is a 2012 NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence recipient and Global Learning Fellow.

YouTube video by CBS Mornings National Teachers Hall of Fame Inductees get big surprise on “CBS Mornings”

Congratulations to Michael Dunlea III and Michelle Pearson for being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame!

They both appeared alongside their induction class recently on "CBS Mornings."
youtu.be/GPwu093PrCI?...

Parr Shakespeare Parr Shakespeare

Do you know a high school educator who excels in bringing Shakespeare’s words to life? Someone who helps students understand the world better through his timeless works?

The new Parr Shakespeare Teaching Prize is designed to recognize that educator!

Learn More:

The NEA Foundation Supports Educator-Led Projects in Community Schools with “Mini-Grants” - NEA Foundation The NEA Foundation is pleased to award mini-grants to eight innovative educators who are changing the way schools center students and families in the Deep South.

The NEA Foundation is pleased to award mini-grants to eight innovative educators who are changing the way schools center students and families in the Deep South.

From Arkansas to South Africa: How a Global Learning Fellow Is Bridging Cultures through Music - NEA Foundation Arkansas music educator FaBion Barnes shares how the Global Learning Fellowship transformed her teaching and perspective.

FaBion Barnes is a music and choir educator in the small, rural town of Hamburg, Arkansas.

But her teaching goes far beyond traditional music instruction, and is inspired in part by her experience with The NEA Foundation’s Global Learning Fellowship.

A great teacher changes lives—but they can’t do it alone. Your donation builds connections, provides essential resources, and supports the future they’re working hard to create.

#EmpoweringEducators #TeacherAppreciationWeek

Neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 | Empowering Educators, Inspiring Futures - NEA Foundation Educators inspire the next generation. By making a gift today, you can help us equip them with the resources they need to succeed.

Now, more than ever, public school educators need our support to inspire and empower the next generation. Together, we can uplift educators and transform lives.

Support Today: neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

For more than five decades, the Foundation has championed and funded educator-led initiatives and innovation, resulting in measurable and sustained improvements in public education.

Before they inspire the future, many educators are empowered by their curiosity to enter the profession and make a difference.

That’s true for Sheila Peterson, a 2025 Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence recipient, who changed careers to become a teacher.

neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 | Empowering Educators, Inspiring Futures - NEA Foundation Educators inspire the next generation. By making a gift today, you can help us equip them with the resources they need to succeed.

Make a gift this Teacher Appreciation Week and celebrate the educators who open doors of opportunity for students every day.

neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. - YouTube

In the classroom and beyond, there’s joy in watching students grow, connect, and be inspired. Even after 25+ years in education, 2025 Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence recipient, Matt Binfield still feels that joy every day.

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 | Empowering Educators, Inspiring Futures - NEA Foundation Educators inspire the next generation. By making a gift today, you can help us equip them with the resources they need to succeed.

When you make a gift to The NEA Foundation this Teacher Appreciation Week, you help celebrate the educators who create meaningful learning experiences for students every day.

neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. - YouTube

Torin Peterson is our Program Officer for the Global Learning Fellowship.

Before he helped give educators opportunities to increase their global competencies, an educator sparked Torin’s curiosity!

Fuel the Future of Learning: neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

youtu.be/nw6vQEtWRz0

Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 | Empowering Educators, Inspiring Futures - NEA Foundation Educators inspire the next generation. By making a gift today, you can help us equip them with the resources they need to succeed.

Lift Up a Teacher’s Voice: neafoundation.org/EmpowerEducators

#EmpoweringEducators #TeacherAppreciationWeek

An educator’s voice has the power to open doors, spark curiosity, and connect communities.

Hear from Allison Slone, a 2025 Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence recipient from Kentucky, as she shares why amplifying educator voices is essential to inspiring the next generation.