H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards to Host Year-long 20th Anniversary Celebration
The H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program will mark its 20th anniversary with a year-long celebration featuring a statewide teacher appreciation tour, classroom wish list fulfillments, H-E-B gift card giveaways, a virtual event and more than $100,000 in cash prizes. Since the program’s inception in 2002, H-E-B has awarded more than $13 million in funding to benefit outstanding Texas public schools, school boards, early childhood facilities, teachers and principals.
H-E-B Excellence in Education will kick off the celebration by going the extra mile to visit educators in their schools and communities with the Texas Loves Teachers Tour. The Tour will caravan across the state visiting 50 public schools, school districts and early childhood education centers within 50 days. Each stop will include an appreciation event for school staff including $20,000 in gift cards to be given away every week from March 22 through the end of April. Public voting will determine the location of the 50 tour stops, so community members are encouraged to vote for their public school, public school district and public or private early childhood facility. Voting will conclude on Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. with winners announced in early March.
As the Texas Loves Teachers Tour makes its way across the state, all certified Texas school teachers, principals and public school districts, as well as public or private early childhood education centers will have the opportunity to enter-to-win more than $100,000 in cash prizes. One public school district will be randomly selected to receive $20,000 while one childhood education center will receive $10,000. The remaining $70,000 will be split among randomly selected teachers and principals. School districts, early childhood education centers, teachers and principals will be able to enter-to-win here.
from March 22 to April 30. Teachers and principals must provide a valid Texas Education Agency (TEA) identification number to be eligible to win. Cash prize winners will be announced during a virtual Tribute to Texas Teachers on May 8, 2021.
United by the shared purpose of honoring the critical role that teachers play in the success of Texas, H-E-B Excellence in Education continues to work closely with the #TeachersCan movement to develop teacher appreciation initiatives. A statewide movement supported by more than 125 businesses and organizations, #TeachersCan plans to launch a statewide fundraising initiative to fulfill teacher wish lists via the Donors Choose platform throughout 2021. H-E-B Excellence in Education and #Teachers Can will also work together to host the virtual Tribute to Texas Teachers on May 8, 2021.
The 20th Anniversary celebration will culminate with the 2022 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, which will return to the traditional nomination, application and selection process. Nominations are now open and will remain open until Oct. 18, 2021, with a December 6, 2021 application deadline. The 2022 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards will award $430,000 to teachers, principals, school districts, school boards and early childhood education centers at a gala celebration in Austin, Texas on April 30, 2022.