Nominate a Local Educator and Recognize Inspiring Educators
2023 OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education Educator of the Year winners. From left to right: Caryn Anderson, K-5 Educator of the Year winner; Lucas Dix, 6-8 Educator of the Year winner; Rob Stuart, President & CEO, OnPoint Community Credit Union; Willie Williams, 9-12 Educator of the Year winner; Samuel Platt, Gold Star Educator of the Year winner.
OnPoint Community Credit Union is calling for the public’s help to honor the region’s most inspiring and innovative teachers. Starting today, anyone can nominate a local educator for the 2024 OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education.
The OnPoint Prize will award $193,000 to the winning educators and schools in May of this year. Four winning educators will have their mortgage or rent paid by OnPoint for one year.
Four runners-up will each receive a $5,000 cash prize. The OnPoint Prize also includes the Community Builder award for innovative school projects. Four schools will receive $2,000, and a fifth school selected by community votes will receive $5,000. A new category added in 2023 is the Gold Star award—a fourth category to honor pre-kindergarten teachers, counselors, librarians and school administrators. “Educators do so much more than teach lessons – they shape the future leaders of our communities,” said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “As we open nominations for this year’s OnPoint Prize, we invite the public to join us in honoring those educators who go above and beyond to inspire, create and foster inclusivity.” Anyone can nominate an outstanding educator or apply for a Community Builder award starting today at www.onpointprize.com.
The nomination period closes at 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, April 8. OnPoint will announce the Educator of the Year finalists and Community Builder winners on May 8. Since 2010, the OnPoint Prize has awarded more than $843,000 in prizes to 326 local educators and schools.
This year’s awards include, Educators of the Year: Four educators will have their mortgage or rent paid for one year and receive a $2,500 donation to their schools for resources and supplies. Runners-up: Four educators, one from each of the categories, will receive a $5,000 cash award and a $1,500 donation to each of their schools for resources and supplies.
Community Builder Awards: One school, selected by community votes, will receive $5,000 for a project that will meaningfully improve that school or community. Four additional schools will each receive $2,000 for special projects. In 2023, OnPoint awarded five Community Builder grants to schools to fund innovative projects that inspire students, foster community, demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and reach a broad segment of the school community. The $5,000 grand prize, selected by community votes, went to Gaffney Lane Elementary School in Oregon City, a Title 1 school that was still working to transition back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to the funding, the school purchased furniture that fosters a collaborative learning environment, allowing the students to stand and work, move their desks into groups, sit with a partner or alone on more updated furniture. The school also utilized the funds to support students who require additional or alternative supplies to be successful, so they don’t feel so different from their classmates.
Information about the OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education and how to submit a nomination is now available at www. onpointprize.com. Anyone can nominate an educator, and educators may also nominate themselves. Applicants must be a fulltime or job-share classroom teacher, counselor, school administrator, or librarian for grades Pre-K-12 in an accredited public, private or charter school, located within any county that OnPoint serves.
OnPoint also accepts applications for the Community Builder awards within those same counties. For information about the campaign, additional qualifications and contest rules, please visit www.onpointprize.com.