Nominations Open for 2020 Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award

 Nomination forms for the Charles E. Lakin Teacher Awards given annually to outstanding southwest Iowa public school teachers are available online at www.ghaea.org and are funded by the Charles E. Lakin Foundation.

For the 13th year, anyone can nominate a worthy instructor for a $10,000 award from non-urban schools within a 40-mile radius of the late philanthropist Charles Lakin's home town of Emerson. Instructors in Council Bluffs and Lewis Central Districts are ineligible. 

A panel of judges selects the four winners and their districts to receive a $2,500 award. Teachers may use the awards for anything unrelated to school.

"Charles Lakin grew up in Emerson," said Lolli Haws of the AEA. "He knew the importance of a public school education, and more importantly, knew what made our schools great - that's the teachers. He wanted to recognize the efforts of instructors who inspire students to come to school every day and engage in their work for students."

Haws urged fellow staff members, parents and students to nominate instructors by clicking the nomination link on the AEA website. The site also includes a list of eligible districts. The deadline for nominations is March 31.

Awards are kept secret until the Lakin Award ceremonies which are held in May. Teachers do not know in advance that they have won.

"The look on the faces of the teachers and the students of those teachers is priceless," said Haws. "People do not go into education for the dollars. An award like this says 'we appreciate you with a big financial thank you as well."