Louis H. Kuhn Educator of the Year Award

Meghan Joyce achieved in 2024 what few believed was possible: She coached a team of freshmen 

at Aubrey Rogers High School, Naples' newest school, to win the NCWA Academic WorldQuest high school competition and to go on to compete in the national AWQ contest in Washington DC. The team didn't win in Washington, but they made their mark.

Meghan, the school's department chair for social studies, was ill the night of the NCWA Annual Dinner, when the award was announced, so Mark Walchak, chair of NCWA's School Outreach Committee, and Mikie Stroh, Collier County social studies administrator, surprised her later in her high school classroom with a presentation before her students.

The School Outreach Committee gives the Louis H. Kuhn Award annually to an educator who has contributed significantly to the Council’s mission of “educate, inspire and engage” at the middle and high school levels. The award is named in honor of the late Mr. Kuhn, who was a long-time member and volunteer on the Council and the Outreach Committee.

     Meghan is surprised when             Mark Walchak, second front left, and Meghan, center, with
     Mikie Stroh appears in her     Meghan's students.
     classroom.

Cindy Brewer, a social studies teacher at St. John Neumann High School in Collier County, received the award in 2023.

She had been a busy educational professional: Her team won two third place awards at National High School Model UN in New York City in 2022 and a third and first place award in 2023 and won recognition at GatorMUN in 2023.

She facilitated Zoom conversations by her students with students in Ukraine and as they prepared podcasts to share with Ukrainian students through our NCWA-supported Move Ukraine effort.

Also, she helped a St. John Neumann student to be selected for a summer scholarship to Oxford University and brought students to NCWA lectures.

       Cindy Brewer
2023 Educator of the Year

When her selection as Educator of the Year was announced at the NCWA Annual Dinner, her enthusiasm continued to show no bounds: She danced for joy!

Educator of the Year Nomination Information

Educators wishing to nominate a colleague for this award, which includes a plaque and an honorarium, should submit a nomination form to the Council. Nominations are typically due on or about March 1 of each year.

Click here to download a Louis H. Kuhn Award Nomination form (PDF format)

Click here to download a Louis H. Kuhn Award Nomination form (WORD format)