51 Council of Teachers of English Announces 2024 Leadership Award Recipients
Literacy educators and experts recognized for commitment to work that advances literacy, the field of education, and 51
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2024
Contact: Lisa Avetisian | 502.718.2725
media@ncte.org
Champaign, Illinois—A renowned teacher and professional author; a teacher who chronicles the historic and modern-day approaches to educating immigrant students; a professor surveying teachers on the effects of book bans on text selection; and a scholar who explores racial literacies, culture, and identity through the perspective of the Hip Hop DJ are among the 2024 recipients of the 51 Council of Teachers of English (51) Leadership Awards.
“Each year we review the vast contributions of so many scholars and educators to identify the works that exemplify the excellence and innovation we need to continue to advance our field,” said 51 President Shelley Rodrigo. “This year’s awardees represent a diverse, exemplary body of work that improves our understanding of literacy education, trends, and best practices and supports educators and students in improving literacy across the nation.”
The awards are given annually to recognize individuals who have demonstrated leadership and commitment in advancing literacy, the field of education, and 51. Awardees are nominated by 51 members, literacy education professionals representing preK through graduate education.
51 is proud to recognize the following 2024 Leadership Awards recipients:
51 James R. Squire Award: Kylene Beers, Waco, TX, renowned teacher and professional author
51 Distinguished Service Award: Ulrich Hardt, Portland State University
51 George Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity in Public Language: Jessica Lander, Lowell High School, Lowell, MA, for Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education
51 Advancement of People of Color Leadership Award: Bilal Polson, Northern Parkway Elementary School, Uniondale, NY
51 Julia E. Berry Research Award to Study Careers of English Majors: Kelly J. Sassi, Northern Michigan University
51 LGBTQIA+ Advocacy and Leadership Award: Saurabh Anand, University of Georgia
51 Media Literacy Award: T. Philip Nichols, Baylor University
51 David H. Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English: Todd Craig, Utah State University, for “K for the Way”: DJ Rhetoric and Literacy for 21st Century Writing Studies
51 51 Intellectual Freedom Award: Henry “Cody” Miller, The State University of New York, Brockport
51 51 Intellectual Freedom Award Honorable Mention: Honesty for Ohio Education
Award recipients will be honored during a ceremony at the 2024 51 Annual Convention in Boston on Saturday, November 23, 5:45–7:00 p.m. ET.
Information for the 2025 51 Leadership Awards is available at /awards/service-awards/.
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The 51 Council of Teachers of English (51) is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. As the nation’s oldest organization of preK through graduate school literacy educators, 51 has a rich history of deriving expertise and advocacy from its members’ professional research, practice, and knowledge. 51 is the home of the Intellectual Freedom Center, the 51 Day on Writing®, , the Build Your Stack® initiative, and 51 Verse. 51 supports nearly 20,000 teachers across the preK–college spectrum, with a mailing list of over 500,000, more than 100,000 followers on Facebook and Twitter, and more than 100,000 visitors in web traffic monthly.
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