Nominate a Great Teacher for the Centennial Bell Award

It's been a tough year. Everyone is overwhelmed. But that's all the more reason to nominate a teacher for the 32^nd Montana Statehood Centennial Bell Award honoring the Montana History Teacher of the Year. Your amazing colleague deserves some recognition! And you can complete the nomination in less than two minutes. Maybe in less than one minute if you're a fast typist. 

Montana grade school principals, superintendents, fellow teachers or librarians from public and private schools are asked to nominate a 4^th-6^th grade teacher who has done an exemplary job teaching Montana history during the 2020-2021 school year.  

The winner and his or her class will be honored at a ceremony in the State Capitol on Statehood Day, Monday, November 8, 2021.  The winner will receive a plaque and a $4,000 cash prize toward library and classroom materials, field trips, speakers and anything else that will enhance learning in the classroom.  

How to Submit a Nomination

To nominate a teacher, send an email with your name, school, address, phone number, email address, and the nominee's name, grade, school, address, phone number and email address to Norma Ashby Smith, Award Coordinator, at ashby7@charter.net.  Deadline for nominations is March 30, 2021. 

Nominated teachers will be asked to submit two letters of support —
one from their principal, superintendent, fellow teacher or librarian, and one from a student. In addition, nominees should submit a one-page letter that details why they enjoy teaching Montana history and how they adapted their teaching of Montana history due to the covid-19 lockdowns. Judges will consider how nominees engage their students in learning, how their Montana history course recognizes cultural diversity, as well as anything else the nominees would like to share about their class or methods.

Nominees will receive further instructions on how to submit this material. Deadline for submissions is May 5, 2021. 

More about the Program

This program is sponsored by the Montana Television Network, the Montana History Foundation and the Sons & Daughters of Montana Pioneers in cooperation with the Montana Historical Society and the 1889 Coffee House in Helena. 

Contact Norma Ashby Smith of Great Falls, Montana, with any questions about the award or the nomination process at 406-453-7078 or at ashby7@charter.net.