Awards & Grants

VEA recognizes top-flight educators, support professionals, and supporters of public education through a range of awards.

Click here for award winners honored at the 2022 hybrid VEA Delegate Assembly!

This award is designed to recognize hard work toward membership increases and is given to locals and UniServ units that demonstrate growth.  Membership numbers between September 1st – December 1st will be used to determine the percentage of membership growth.

The Fitz Turner Commission honors individuals or groups who have fostered positive relationships in your education community and helped to encourage leadership development. There are three categories for recognition: the Fitz Turner Award for Outstanding Contributions in Intergroup Relations, the Mary Hatwood Futrell Award for Distinguished Leadership in Education and the Barbara Johns Youth Award for Human Relations & Civil Rights. Learn more and submit your nomination here.

A newly created award intended to recognize an individual whose actions have contributed significantly to the advancement of public education legislation/policy, or to the election of public education friendly candidates in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

This is the highest award VEA offers for teaching excellence in the Commonwealth. The winner earns $500 and becomes Virginia’s nominee for the NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence. Click here.

Nominations are due December 31, 2023

This award honors outstanding work in the areas of professional practice, Association involvement, community engagement, personal achievement, and the enhancement of the image of support professionals.

Download the ESP of the Year Nomination Packet

This is VEA’s highest honor, presented by the VEA Board of Directors, and recognizes an individual or organization whose leadership, actions, and support have significantly benefited education, education employees, or students in Virginia.

An individual recipient need not be a Virginian, but he or she should reflect the philosophy and principles of the VEA. Individual nominees may be public officials or private citizens, and selection of finalists will be made regardless of age, sex, race, color, or creed.

Has your local Association organized a community event? Helped out in a community fund drive? Cleaned up a neighborhood park or school? Held a reading or other education activity as part of a community festival? Helped advocate for a cause in partnership with a civic organization? The Communications/Public Relations Committee wants to know about your “good neighbor” deeds and advocacy.

This honors retired members who have made significant contributions to the growth of the active and retired Association, in the promotion of public education, and for the welfare of educators. Winners must have been members of VEA-Retired for at least five consecutive years as of January 15 of the award year, and this award can be given posthumously.