Kapolei Teacher to Receive
The California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence
Joan Kamila Lewis to be honored by California Casualty and the NEA Foundation at Washington, DC Awards Gala
Joan Kamila Lewis, a language arts teacher at Kapolei High School in Kapolei, HI, is a recipient of the California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for public school educators.
Lewis is one of 36 awardees who will be honored at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala to be held in Washington, DC on February 7, 2014. Known as the Academy Awards of public education, the gala attracts more than 850 of the nation’s leaders from public education, philanthropy, and the private sector.
“We give these awards annually to honor and promote excellence in education and to elevate the profession. Educators like these are critical to their students’ academic success, and they deserve national recognition.” said Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “We are thrilled that California Casualty has joined us again this year to pay tribute to educators who are making such a difference in the lives of students in classrooms across the country.”
“Educating our youth is so critically important. California Casualty is proud to partner with the NEA Foundation to pause and celebrate excellence in teaching,” said Beau Brown, Chairman and CEO of California Casualty.
Lewis was nominated by the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the National Education Association’s state affiliate in Hawaii. Photos and names of all of the awardees can be found on the NEA Foundation Web site. Each awardee’s school will receive a $650 award.
From the 36 state awardees, five finalists will be selected to receive $10,000 cash awards. At the conclusion of the Washington, DC awards gala, one finalist will be named the nation’s top educator and receive an additional $25,000.
The NEA Foundation and the National Education Association jointly present the awards with support from California Casualty, NEA Member Benefits, Pearson Foundation, and the Horace Mann Educators’ Corporation.
Learn more about Joan Kamila Lewis and her students.
Go to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l905BB1Os48
The NEA Foundation
The NEA Foundation is a public charity supported by contributions from educators’ dues, corporate sponsors, and others. We support student success by helping public school educators work with key partners to build strong systems of shared responsibility. Visit http://www.neafoundation.org for more information.