Each year, the Arizona Technology Council (AzTechCouncil) and the Arizona Commerce Authority present the Teacher of the Year award to Arizona’s top STEM or CTE teacher. The presentation will take place at the annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation (GCOI) awards ceremony along with awards honoring Arizona’s top students and technology companies.

All Arizona high school teachers of Science, Technology. Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) subjects are invited to submit an application for Teacher of the Year. This is an award presented at the annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation held in November.

One top award winner and up to two honorable mentions are selected from all nominee entries, to receive a cash award and the opportunity to share their personal teaching experiences at the GCOI awards ceremony. Judges review several different professional areas, including education and experience, classroom techniques and success, and mentoring and extracurricular activities addressing both students and other teachers.

Application deadline for entry is
midnight, Sunday, July 28 August 4, 2024
This applies to all GCOI entrants!

Additional contest details are provided at ACESA.org.
Previous winners are listed here.

Part I of the application packet:
download here (pdf).

Parts II and III nomination entry forms:
download here (pdf).

Fill out Parts II and III (pdf) as directed by Part I (pdf) and send the completed entry to: toy @ acesa.org. Cash award winners will be required to submit a current IRS W-9 form to GCOI awards coordinator.

Share with your colleagues by downloading the Teacher-of-the-Year infographic (PDF)!

Follow this link to see previous GCOI winners and runners-up.

The Teacher of the Year award is presented concurrently with
the Future Innovator of the Year award for students.

The Governor’s Celebration of Innovation, under the auspices of the Arizona Technology Council and the Arizona Commerce Authority, has become the premier technology community gathering of its kind in Arizona. Attendees include technologists, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, legislators, investors, and policymakers.