Arizona Art Education Association membership is required to be nominated for an award with the exception of the Distinguished Service (Outside the Profession).
Please read the description of the submission requirements for each award carefully to ensure that you are submitting what is required. Further information may be needed in order for applicants to be nominated for regional and national levels of awards.
Arizona State Art Educator Award One outstanding AAEA member is honored for service and contributions to art education that merits recognition and acclaim. Eligibility: Active NAEA members who hold membership in the state/province in which they are nominated.
AAEA Division Art Educator Awards AAEA has seven job-alike categories called Divisions: Elementary, Middle Level, Secondary, Higher Education, Preservice, Supervision & Administration, and Museum Education. Eligibility: Active NAEA members who hold membership in the state/province in which they are nominated. Division award nominees must spend at least 51% of their workday in the job division in which they have been nominated.
New Professional Art Educator Award To recognize excellence and achievement by new art educators. Eligibility: Individuals in their first year of teaching within the K-12 level will be eligible. This award is intended to recognize excellence among new art educators based on their success in student teaching and as a first-year teacher. Active NAEA members who hold membership in the state/province in which they are nominated.
Rising Star Award (High School Student) To promote art education as a career by recognizing talented, active NAHS Members. Recognition as a “Rising Star” will be given at the AAEA State Convention Eligibility: Senior high school NAHS students seriously interested in becoming art educators.
Distinguished Service Within the Profession Award To recognize outstanding achievement, contribution, and service in previous years to the field of art education and to National and State/Province Associations. Eligibility: Active AAEA members who have performed outstanding service on national and regional levels.
Distinguished Service (Outside the Profession) Award To recognize outstanding achievement and contributions in previous years by persons, or organizations outside the field of art education. Eligibility: Membership is not required for the Distinguished Service (Outside the Profession) award, but the nominator must be a member.
Outstanding Leadership Award: This award recognizes outstanding contributions and service to the profession by a current or past state/province association officer in the performance and/or development of specific programs, goals, or activities at the state/province association level. Eligibility: Past or current NAEA state/province association officers are eligible. This is the only NAEA award that is open to current state officers.
Special Needs Art Educator of the Year Award: This award recognizes an AAEA/NAEA member who has made distinguished professional contributions to art education for students with special needs through scholarly writing, research, professional leadership, teaching, and/or community service. Eligibility: Active AAEA/NAEA members who have brought distinction to the profession of special-needs art education through an exceptional and continuous record of achievement that has had a significant impact on students with disabilities and special-needs are eligible to receive the award.
Emeritus Art Educator Award: This award recognizes continuous outstanding service to art education by an individual before and after retirement. Eligibility: NAEA/RAEA members who have been retired at least 3 years and have brought distinction to the field of art education by exceptional and continuous records of achievement through teaching, professional leadership, and community service before and after retirement are eligible to receive this award.
Outstanding National Art Honor Society Sponsor Award: This award recognizes the dedication of an NAEA member who sponsors an outstanding NAHS Chapter. Eligibility: Sponsors of active NAHS Student Chapters.
Outstanding National Junior Art Honor Society Sponsor Award: This award recognizes the dedication of an NAEA member who sponsors an outstanding NJAHS Chapter. Eligibility: Sponsors of active NJAHS Student Chapters are eligible to receive this award.
Agent of Change in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award: The purpose of the award is to honor an individual who exemplifies, demonstrates, and/or leads social impact or social justice efforts in the work they do within visual arts, design, and media arts education. We acknowledge that addressing systemic transformation requires agents of change, allies, and accomplices. The award intends to honor and amplify voices that have and continue to be marginalized and the added intellectual and emotional burden that such art educators face in the work they do in contributing to the advancement of equity, diversity, and/or accessibility in art education. Eligibility: Active NAEA members who have presented on topics of ED&I in localized and/or institutional ways in art education while demonstrating sustained practices of social justice and offer a critical voice in the field and work collaboratively to uplift the voiceless and encourage positive outcomes as part of larger solutions to social change. ED&I Commissioners are not eligible for nomination.