Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award

Contest Information and Instructions

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all American history teachers, whose approved curriculum teaches students about the American revolution era from 1750 to 1800, to apply for the Dr. Tom & Betty Lawrence American History Teacher Award. The award is open to all American history teachers at the middle or high school levels at a recognized public, private, or parochial institution. A teacher who teaches at a home school is not eligible. A teacher who is selected as a winner at a chapter level will then be submitted to compete for the state contest and the winner of the state contest will be a finalist for the national award. The award consists of two separate contests designed to select a teacher at the middle school and high school level. The national winner at each level will be entitled to the benefits described below.

The American History Teacher Award recognizes educators who distinguish themselves in teaching the history of the American Revolution. The award winner will receive a professional educational opportunity at a national seminar and bring back to their classroom and students a heightened level of creativity and enthusiasm for the American Revolutionary era.

Teacher candidates interested in entering the local SAR Chapter contest must complete the required application and submit a written essay of 500-1000 words describing any extraordinary teaching techniques or innovative projects utilized by the teacher to teach the American Revolution.  The applicant should define why they think teaching the American Revolution is important. The contest aims at identifying a teacher who is still actively teaching, has taught for at least three years, and who is in the early or middle stages of his or her career, therefore having several years of productive  classroom teaching remaining. The award is therefore not intended as an honor to a deserving teacher who is nearing retirement and thus not able to impart the knowledge gained at attendance at a seminar to many future students. It is recognized that school districts may have different job titles for teachers of American history, such as social studies teachers. The actual job title of the teacher is not important so long as the teacher has as their primary duty the teaching of American history. However, teachers who teach music, physical education, JROTC, or other subjects as their primary subject are not eligible.  The essay should also discuss why the teacher wants to attend the educational seminar and how the teacher would use what is learned at the seminar in the future.

One signed letter of recommendation is required. It must be from the teacher’s immediate supervisor or the teacher’s principal.  All application materials must be submitted electronically. All application components should be emailed to the SAR Director or Education & Outreach at education@sar.org. Also, where the application is handwritten, the writing must be legible, particularly phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

The 1^st Place winners will receive: Attendance at a teacher workshop or seminar on the American Revolution. $3,000.00 to pay for tuition and travel expenses to attend one of the following teacher seminars: the Freedoms Foundation Summer Teacher Graduate Workshop at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; the Colonial Williamsburg Summer Teacher Workshop in Williamsburg, Virginia; or the SAR Annual Conference on the American Revolution. Other seminars may be attended provided the SAR provides prior approval in writing. The tuition for the seminar will be considered a scholarship and will be paid directly to the seminar.

Reasonable travel expenses directly related to attendance at a seminar will be paid by the SAR when receipts are for reimbursement. Winners must discuss travel plans with the SAR prior to incurring expenses. Reasonable travel expenses may include airfare or mileage in the case of a winner driving a personal vehicle, and room and board where it is not provided by the seminar. Because the educational benefit is $3,000.00 it is possible that a winner may attend more than one seminar but the total scholarship for tuition, and reimbursement for expenses may not exceed $3,000.00. The winner must complete all seminars within 24 months after the winner is announced, or the award is forfeited. Within thirty days of attending a seminar, a report or video of not less than 500 words discussing the benefits of the award and how the seminar has improved their ability to teach the American Revolution is due to the SAR. The report may be shared with the SAR membership including posting it on the website. A cash prize of $1,000.00 for their personal and unrestricted use will also be awarded. The cash prize is taxable and an IRS Form 1099 will be issued. One past winner each year may be invited by the National Committee Chairman to attend the SAR National Congress to speak at the Youth Awards Luncheon.

Attendance at an American Revolution teacher seminar is a condition to receiving any other awards provided to a winner. Once the seminar is completed the winner will receive the $1,000.00 cash prize.

New for the 2024-2025 award year, there will be a second and third place winner in each category. The second-place winner receives a $1000 cash prize and the third-place winner receives a $500 cash prize. Since this is taxable an IRS Form 1099, will be issued.

In any contest year the SAR reserves the right not to select a winner in a particular school level if, in the opinion of the judges, the applicants do not meet the selection criteria.

Completed applications should be submitted to a local SAR Chapter and the Chapter winners submitted to the State Society. Each State Society may determine its own deadlines, but the applications from State Society winners for a contest year must be received by the SAR Director of Education no later than February 10 of the year immediately subsequent to the contest year for which the award is presented. For example, teachers who are selected by the state society as winners for the 2024 contest year must have their applications received by the SAR Director of Education by February 10, 2025.