Nominations are open through Feb. 18 for the 2025 REB Award for Teaching Excellence. The annual awards identify, recognize and support teaching excellence in the Richmond area.

Henrico County Public Schools’ 2024 REB honorees received grants for projects like following in the footsteps of ancient cave-painters in France and researching technology in Tanzania. The grants fuel instructors’ love of learning and empower them to pass it on to their students. Each recipient's REB journey started with a nomination by a student, colleague or community member.

The awards provide a tangible, public way to recognize outstanding HCPS instructors — and give them the means to continue growing. The grant-funded awards are presented by the Community Foundation. Honorees receive professional development grants, given to teachers who have distinguished themselves by their inspiring classroom performance. Grants range from $5,000 to $15,000.

Through a nomination process, approximately 15 outstanding teachers are selected each year to receive cash grants to support professional development activities. Nominations are invited from parents, students, educators and the community at large. Individuals may nominate only one teacher. Teachers may not be nominated by their principal and may not nominate themselves.

Nominations must be made online. A letter in support of the nomination must be written by another individual and submitted online with the nomination.

Who: The Community Foundation invites nominations from students, parents, colleagues, school staff and administrators (except for the school principal), and members of the community.

When: Nominations and letters of support must be submitted online by Feb. 18 at 5 p.m.

How: Visit www.cfrichmond.org/receive/scholars-educators/educators/teaching to learn more and nominate a teacher. For questions regarding nominations, email Tracie Weston, HCPS' director of professional learning and leadership, at  taweston@henrico.k12.va.us.