Awards

CEL Teacher-Leader of Excellence Award

2023 Winner: Sawsan Jaber

Dr. Sawsan Jaber, NBCT, a seasoned educator and equity advocate for twenty-plus years, serves as a high school English chair and district equity leader. With a PhD in curriculum and instruction, she focuses on inclusion, belonging, and activating student voice for equity and justice. Awarded nationally and internationally for educational excellence, she champions equity through multiple leadership roles in educational organizations. Engaged with various educational networks and committees, she drives research on student equity, emphasizing the inclusion of students with the work. Driven by activism, she collaborates on global justice projects, publications, and coauthored books, prioritizing advocacy alongside her students.

The award will be presented during the CEL Annual Convention.

Award Details

Nomination Deadline: April 1

Purpose:  The CEL Teacher-Leader of Excellence Award recognizes a classroom educator and NCTE member who leads in and out of the classroom by amplifying student voices and also finds ways to contribute to the broader school and educational communities.

Award Criteria:  The award recipient should exemplify the following:

• Literacy work that has made a notable impact inside of the classroom
• Leadership outside of the classroom that has generated change in literacy instruction, programming, and/or systems.
• Teaching should be at least half of this person’s daily role.

Award Specifics: The recipient receives a certificate, which is presented at the CEL Annual Convention.

Nomination Materials:  All nominations must contain the Nomination Form, at least two letters of recommendation, and the candidate’s curriculum vitae.

Judging:  The CEL Award Committee determines the recipient from the nominations submitted within the calendar year. For full consideration, nominations must be received no later than April 1. Candidates not selected for the year in which they are nominated will receive consideration for the next two years.

*If you are unsure which award best matches you/the nominee’s experience, please email cel@ncte.org.
**Note: The CEL Awards Committee may consider nominees for an award different from the one for which they were nominated if they feel it is a better fit.