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Now Accepting Applications and Nominations for the 2026-2027 NSTA Teacher Awards
Recognizing Excellence in Science Teaching and Learning
NSTA Awards recognize exceptional individuals for their accomplishments and outstanding work in the science education field.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, more than $72,000 in cash and prizes is available each year. NSTA is pleased to offer the following awards for the 2026-2027 awards year:
Angela Award - Honors a female student in grades 5–8 with a strong connection to science.
Eligibility: Female student in grades 5–8 who is a resident of the United States, US Territories, or Canada, and is enrolled in full-time public, private, or home school. NSTA employees, NSTA Board and Council members, award judges, and their immediate families are NOT eligible to apply.
Award: $500 cash award. The awardee will be honored at a private ceremony arranged in partnership with the student's school and faculty.
Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers - Provides teachers in their first five years of teaching with funds to attend the annual National Conference on Science Education. This award honors NSTA members who are teachers that have made extraordinary contributions to the field of science teaching.
Eligibility: To be eligible, a teacher must have be in their first five years of full-time teaching at the time of application and be an NSTA member in good standing. To the extent possible, recipients must have been a student member of NSTA as a preservice teacher.
Award: The award consists of up to $1,000 to be used to attend the annual National Conference. Recipients will be invited to attend a variety of workshops and presentations that are of particular interest to new teachers at the annual National Conference.
Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award - Recognizes teachers who exhibit exemplary innovation in the field of science education in their classroom.
Eligibility: Individuals who apply for this award must be current K-12 classroom science educators in one of these districts:
II - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
IV - New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
VIII - Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia
X - Indiana, Michigan, Ohio
XIV - Arizona, Colorado, Utah
XVI - California, Hawaii, Nevada, Am. Samoa, Guam, Terr. of the Pacific
Award: The award consists of a plaque, $1,000 cash prize and up to $1,000 toward expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education; the recipient of the award will be honored during the Awards Event at the NSTA Conference. Recipient will also be invited to present at the NSTA 2027 Summer Congress meeting.
Sylvia Shugrue Award for Elementary School Teachers - Honors one elementary school teacher who has established (or is establishing) an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based lesson plan. The lesson plan will fully reference sources of information and any relevant National Science Education Standards and benchmarks found in the Atlas of Science Literacy.
Eligibility: Elementary school teachers (grades K–6); applicants must be a full-time teacher with a minimum of five years of experience.
Award: The award consists of a plaque, $1,000 cash prize and $500 toward expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education; the recipient of the award will be honored during the Awards Event at the NSTA Conference.
Application Deadline - All applications must be completed and submitted by MIDNIGHT HST (Hawaii Standard Time) on Friday, December 18, 2026.
Everyone needs to log in. You will either use your NSTA Login or create an account.
(Note: If you are self-nominating, please simply click the start application button.)
About NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit www.nsta.org or follow @NSTA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.