• Individuals
  • Regional Artist Project Grants
  • ASC Honors
  • McColl Award
• Organizations
  • Operating Support
  • Cultural Project Grants
  • Cultural Festival Grants
  • Special Project Grants
  • Technical Assistance Grants
  • Professional Development Scholarships
  • McColl Award
• Educators & Schools
  • Duke Energy Science & Environmental Education Grants
  • ASC Education School Grants
  • Cato Excellence in Teaching Awards
• ASC Brand Guidelines
• Resources & Toolkit

Cato Excellence in Teaching Awards

The Arts & Science Council’s Cato Excellence in Teaching Awards Program seeks nominations of exceptionally creative teachers who have distinguished themselves in teaching the Arts, Sciences or History or who have demonstrated creative infusion of the arts, sciences or history into the core curriculum.

Six (6) $1,500 awards will be presented annually through the support of ASC’s Cato Excellence in Teaching Endowment. Three (3) teachers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and three (3) teachers from the participating counties will be honored. Both Finalists and Recipients will be recognized at ASC’s annual Impact + Investment event in July.

Teachers, principals, school administrators, parents, students and others who can speak to a teacher's qualifications for the award may nominate teachers for consideration.

Nominations will be received by ASC in digital format.
Deadline for receipt of nominations is March 1, 2013 by 5:00 pm.

Review Process

Based on a review of nominations received by the deadline, six (6) finalists in each discipline will be selected to complete a full application for final review by the selection panel. Finalists will be notified in early April.

After both finalists and their nominator(s) have been notified, the following information will be required to be submitted by May 3, 2013:

• Biographical Information
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy (2 pages)
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation (1 school administrator, 1 teaching colleague and 1 other)

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible teachers must be a Pre-K through 12th grade teacher working for a public or independent school in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln or Union counties in North Carolina or Lancaster or York counties in SC. Nominees should exhibit a career marked by innovation and excellence in teaching focused on the arts, sciences or history or creative infusion of the arts, sciences or history into the core curriculum; school and community leadership; and dedication to the field of education.

How to Apply

The deadline for applicationed is Friday, March 1, 2013.  Click here to download the nomination form.  Completed forms should be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .