American Lawyers Alliance Teacher of the Year Award

Are you an Arkansas Civics Educator who is teaching law-related topics at the high-school level?

For the past sixty years, the American Lawyers Alliance has been active in its support of public education, citizenship awareness and various service programs. Recognizing the vital role that teachers play in law-related education, the ALA began in 1985 to sponsor Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year Awards.

The purpose of these awards is to honor public and private High School teachers who have made significant contributions in law-related education and have developed programs that meet the following criteria.

  • Furthered the understanding of the role of the courts, law enforcement agencies and the legal profession

  • Helped students recognize their responsibilities as well as their rights

  • Encouraged effective law-related education programs in their schools and communities

  • Increased communication among students, educators and those involved professionally in the legal system

The ALA awards $3,000 each to three teachers; the Lillian B Jarvis Award of $3,000 is given to a teacher in a Title I school who may not have the resources that many other teachers have.

The application deadline is March 15, 2022. The awards will be announced in May, and the presentations will be made at the ALA Annual Meeting in August!


Questions? Comments? Want to apply? Reach out to Barbara Imel Smallwood, the Teacher of the Year (TOY) Committee Chair, at 918-625-9617 or by email at bismallw2016@gmail.com.