Let the Search Begin: Are You TeachKind’s 2019 Teacher of the Year?

Teacher-Appreciation Contest to Award Educator Who Brings Compassion for Animals Into the Classroom

For Immediate Release:
May 6, 2019

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

With Teacher Appreciation Month underway, TeachKind—PETA’s humane education division—is now accepting nominations for its 2019 Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes four compassionate teachers (one winner and three runners-up) for instilling empathy and respect for animals in his or her students.

“From running animal rights clubs to advocating for humane virtual-dissection software, there are so many ways teachers can help animals and students at the same time,” says PETA Director of Student Campaigns and Influence Rachelle Owen. “As bullying and teen violence rises in schools across the country, TeachKind is paying tribute to all the outstanding educators who foster kindness for others in their students.”

TeachKind—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” and which opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview—offers free lessons, classroom presentations, teacher workshops, and more to help teachers add compassion for animals to their curriculum.

Last year’s winner was Colorado-based Horizon Community Middle School teacher Sarah Hewson, whose many efforts in behalf of animals include encouraging students to join her in volunteering at a sanctuary for abused and neglected farmed animals, providing students with literature about animal rights issues, and organizing a vegan table every year at the school’s multicultural fair.

The winner will receive a framed certificate as well as an animal-friendly gift basket, one week of vegan meal ingredients and recipes from Purple Carrot, a weatherproof vegan coat from Baro, a high-quality Dekalb travel duffle bag, and more. Nominations are being accepted through May 24. For more information and to submit a nomination, please click here.