American Civic Education Teacher Awards
What is ACETA?
The Center for Civic Education, the Center on Representative Government at Indiana University, and the National Education Association conduct an annual program to honor American teachers of civics, government, and related fields. The American Civic Education Teacher Awards (ACETA) promotes national recognition and respect for the teaching profession as a whole and teachers of civic education in particular.
The awards honor elementary and secondary civic education teachers with specific expertise in teaching about the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Congress, and public policy at the state and local levels.
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A free society must rely on the civic knowledge, skills, and virtue of its citizens and those they elect to public office. Schools bear a unique and historic responsibility for developing civic competence and civic responsibility through formal and informal curricula, beginning in the earliest grades and continuing through the entire educational process.
Civic education is essential to preserving and improving American constitutional democracy. To this end, the critical role of teachers in preparing young people for the obligations of citizenship cannot be overstated.
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Through the American Civic Education Teacher Awards, selected civics and government teachers are recognized for their excellent work and as representatives of their profession. The ACETA program also informs the public of the challenges of teaching and the different conditions under which teachers serve the public good.
ACETA aims to pay tribute to elementary and secondary school teachers representing:
the teaching of civic education for democracy, whether it is in separate civics or government classes,
the diverse populations of today’s schools, and
different geographic regions of the United States.
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The partnering organizations who select teachers for this prestigious award include:
The Center for Civic Education
Center on Representative Government at Indiana University
National Education Association
To be eligible for an ACETA award, applicants must:
be full-time classroom teachers of grades K–12 (substitute and part-time teachers are not eligible);
plan to teach full-time during the next academic year;
be United States citizens or foreign nationals residing in the United States or its territories;
not be employees (or their immediate family) of one of the presenting partner organizations; and
agree to participate in publicity efforts for ACETA if they are selected.
Selection Criteria
The selection committee does not have a single model teacher in mind but selects teachers with different styles, methods, backgrounds, and types of students. Through this award, they intend to provide the public with a portrait of the broad range of excellent teachers contributing to the civic education of American students.
The selection committee will give additional consideration to teachers of students in the following categories:
Ethnic and racial minorities
Recent immigrants
Disabled and special education
Gifted and talented
Juvenile justice
This award recognizes teachers representing broad geographic diversity and includes all teachers in the United States' rural, suburban, and urban areas.
2026 ACETA Winners
Derrick Johnson
High School
Miami, Florida
Derrick Johnson is a veteran civic educator with 21 years of experience teaching AP U.S. Government, Constitutional Law, Criminology, and Debate at Hialeah Gardens High School. A former practicing attorney, Johnson coaches the We the People program and has worked across grade levels to strengthen civic learning throughout his community. His student body is approximately 97% Hispanic or Latino.
"Citizenship is not a concept I teach only in theory; it is practiced daily. As a teacher of constitutional law and government, my purpose extends beyond delivering content—I prepare students to become informed, engaged participants in our democracy. Johnson wrote in his educator self-portrait.
Shauna Cihacek
Middle School
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Shauna Cihacek is a 25-year veteran who teaches 8th Grade U.S. History at Gerald W. Kirn Middle School. A Madison Fellow, Barringer Fellow, C-SPAN presenter, and published educator, she leads National History Day for students across her district's entire 6–12 grade span. Cihacek draws on her Native American heritage to bring Indigenous history to life for her students, extending her civic mission through community service that reaches both Native and non-Native populations.
"In the middle school classroom, teaching the complexities of the U.S. Constitution and the structure of government can be a challenge” read one of Cihacek’s administrator recommendations. “However, Ms. Cihacek excels at transforming abstract political philosophies into tangible, engaging experiences. Students do not just memorize constitutional amendments; they analyze how these foundational principles impact their daily lives and responsibilities."
Kaylea Dominguez
Elementary School
Indianapolis, Indiana
Kaylea Dominguez teaches 5th grade at Kitley Intermediate School in the Franklin Township Community School Corporation. Dominguez has accumulated an impressive set of accomplishments in her early career, by using mock elections, legislative simulations, and student-centered activities to help even the youngest learners see themselves as participants in civic life. Her selection reflects the committee's conviction that civic education is a lifelong practice that must take root early.
"No list of titles or achievements can fully capture the magic of her classroom.” wrote one of her peer recommendations. “Kaylea’s lessons are dynamic, differentiated, and interdisciplinary, utilizing story-telling and narratives to captivate students. She also provides many opportunities throughout the year for PBL: Wax Museums, “Break-Up” Letters, Legislative Branch Simulations, and Voting Booths, to name a few." Her peer continued, “She believes her knowledge and practice have the power to change the world. As I watch her make our community better, one child, and one class at a time, I too find myself to be a believer.”