Virginia Economic Educator Awards

Two Awards.

Any Teacher.

Any Subject.

Virginia Council on Economic Education honors the educators who make economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship come alive for students, including the lessons they use to do it.

Virginia Outstanding Economic Educator Award: For any K–12 teacher in Virginia who brings economic thinking, personal finance, and/or entrepreneurship into their classroom, in any subject.

VCEE Outstanding Lesson, Unit, or Performance-Based Assessment: For any Virginia K-12 educator, individually or collaboratively, who has created an original lesson, unit, or performance-based assessment that teaches economics, personal finance, or entrepreneurship.

Any subject. Any grade. Nominate a teacher or apply yourself!

Great teaching deserves recognition.

Outstanding Economic Educator Award Submission

This award honors K–12 teachers across Virginia who bring economics, personal finance, or entrepreneurship to life for their students in any classroom, in any subject, inside and outside the school building.

What You Will Submit:

Answer two short questions:

– What makes your approach to integrating economics/ personal finance/ entrepreneurship into your classroom effective and creative?
– How do you keep students motivated and inspired to learn?

Plus a recommendation from a principal or colleague.

Teachers may apply themselves or be nominated anytime from April 1- August 31.

Award Categories:

K-5 Elementary School

6-8 Middle School

9-12 High School

Prizes:
Three educators will be recognized as
Virginia’s Outstanding Economic Educator,
with $1,000 awarded in each category.

The statewide Outstanding Educator of the Year is Virginia’s nominee for the national John Morton Excellence in the Teaching of Economics Award from the Council for Economic Education.

Apply or Nominate A Teacher Here

Lesson, Unit, or Performance-Based Assessment

Showcase your creativity and impact in the classroom. Submit and original lesson, unit plan, or performance-based assessment that helps students build understanding of economics, entrepreneurship, or personal finance. Entries may be submitted individually or collaboratively with a colleague.

What to Submit:

One original lesson, unit, or performance-based assessment in PDF format so that any Virginia teacher could pick it up and use it in their classroom.

Tip: Write in third person rather than first person. Describe what the teacher does and what the students do, rather than how the lesson worked when you taught it. This makes your submission stronger and more useful to judges and fellow educators.

A lesson plan template is available as a helpful starting point, but it is not required.

Judging Criteria:

Innovation
Engagement & Active Learning
Instructional Design & Clarity
Concept Integration

Prizes:

First Place $1,000

Second Place $500

Third Place $250

Apply Now

2025

Jonathan Cook

Virginia Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year

Lord Botetourt High School
Virginia Tech Center

Congratulations to Our 2025 Winners!

Jonathan Cook

2025 Virginia Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year

Lord Botetourt High School, Virginia Tech Center