The Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership is presented annually to a Teach For America alum who embodies our core values and whose work has led to significant progress toward educational equity and excellence in the last year.
About the Peter Jennings Award
Established in 2007, this award is named as a tribute to the late journalist Peter Jennings, whose dedication to expanding educational opportunity was so important to advancing our cause.
The Peter Jennings Award for Civic Leadership is presented annually to a Teach For America alum or team of alumni whose work has led to significant change on a broad scale in the last year. Award winners and finalists represent a wide range of fields that impact education, including school leaders, social entrepreneurs, community organizers, and elected officials.
Finalists are nominated by TFA’s executive leadership team, fellow alumni, staff and external partners. The winner of the award receives a prize of $10,000, a feature in One Day Magazine, national recognition, and accommodations to attend an awards reception in September.
Nomination Information
The nomination form will open on Monday, April 15, 2019, and will close on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Finalists will be notified in August 2019.
Selection Criteria
We are looking to elevate the stories of alumni who are leading “systems change” in established policies and/or practices within and across institutions. When nominating a Teach For America alum or team of alumni, please consider the extent to which they have met the following criteria:
- Significant progress: Each candidate or team has made a significant impact on an issue of critical importance to realizing educational equity in pursuit of systems change.
- Breakthrough year: 2018-2019 was a breakthrough year for each candidate or team's work.
- Core values: Each candidate or team embodies Teach For America’s core values.
Questions?
Email us for information about this opportunity.
Heather Anichini
Chicago-Northwest Indiana '02
President and CEO
Chicago Public Education Fund
Heather Anichini is the winner of the 2018 Peter Jennings award. As President and CEO of the Chicago Education Fund, she's led the organization's efforts on helping school leaders do better in jobs that are more sustainable. Since 2013, The Fund has raised about $40 million for professional development programs for school leaders.
Nancy Hanks
Metro Atlanta '04
Chief of Schools for Elementary
Madison Public School District
Having gone from a life poverty on the west side of Chicago to becoming a Harvard graduate, Nancy Hanks knows firsthand that students' futures are not predetermined by their personal circumstance.
Daniel Sellers
Eastern North Carolina '06
Executive Director
EdAllies
Sellers was a finalist for the 2018 Peter Jennings Award. He is the founder and executive director of EdAllies, an education advocacy organization that advances policies benefitting underserved students in Minnesota.
Previous Winners & Finalists
Winner
Jeffrey Riley
Baltimore ’93
Superintendent & Receiver
Finalist
Paymon Rouhanifard
New York ’03
Superintendent, Camden City Public Schools
Winner
Sophia Pappas
New Jersey ’03
CEO, Division of ECE, New York City Department of Education
Finalists
Jonas Chartock
Los Angeles ’97
CEO, Leading Educators
Chong-Hao Fu
Greater Delta: Mississippi & Arkansas ’01
Chief Program Officer, Leading Educators
Andrew Mandel
Rio Grande Valley ’00
Co-Founder, Strong East Ramapo
Winner
DeRay Mckesson
New York ’07
Co-Founder, Campaign Zero
Finalists
Jeff Nelson
Chicago-Northwest Indiana ’04
Co-Founder & CEO, One Goal
Sydney Morris
New York ’07
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Educators 4 Excellence
Brittany Packnett
D.C. Region ’07
Vice President, National Community Alliances, Teach For America
Evan Stone
New York ’07
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Educators 4 Excellence
Finalists
Rachel Canter
Greater Delta: Mississippi & Arkansas ’04
Executive Director, Mississippi First
Kaya Henderson
New York ’92
Former Chancellor, D.C. Public Schools
Kevin Huffman
Houston ’92
Interim Chief External Affairs Officer, Teach For America
Sanford Johnson
Greater Delta: Mississippi & Arkansas ’03
Deputy Director of Advocacy, Mississippi First
Winner
Julie Jackson
New Jersey ’94
Chief Schools Officer, K-8 Uncommon Schools
Finalists
Jonathan Klein
Los Angeles ’97
Co-Founder, Great Oakland Public Schools
Yasmene Mumby
Baltimore ’08
Director of Community Engagement, KIPP Baltimore
2012
Sarah Newell Usdin
South Louisiana ’92
Board Member, Orleans Parish School Board
Rhonda Kalifey-Aluise
Houston ’92
Executive Director, KIPP New Orleans
Kira Orange Jones
South Louisiana ’00
SVP, Regional Field Executive, Teach For America
2011
Michael Johnston
Greater Delta: Mississippi & Arkansas ’97
State Senator of Colorado
2010
Tim Daly
Baltimore ’99
Founding Partner, EdNavigator
2009
Jeremy Beard
Los Angeles ’95
Head of Schools, YES Prep Public Schools
JoAnn Gama
Rio Grande Valley ’97
Superintendent, IDEA Public Schools
Tom Torkelson
Rio Grande Valley ’97
CEO & Founder, IDEA Public Schools
2008
Cami Anderson
Los Angeles ’93
2007
Michelle Rhee
Baltimore ’92
Founder, StudentsFirst