For more than three decades, the AWARE Foundation has been Arlington’s way of thanking the teachers who shape its children’s lives — one of the city’s most enduring expressions of a community that believes great educators change everything.

Founded in 1989 by Ron Howell and private citizens committed to the future of the Arlington Independent School District, AWARE — Arlington Will Award and Recognize Educational Excellence — was built on a straightforward but powerful conviction: exceptional teaching deserves to be seen, celebrated, and rewarded.

Comprised entirely of volunteers and receiving no public funds from AISD, the Foundation operates as a true community effort — powered not by institutions, but by neighbors, business leaders, and educators who believe great teachers change lives.

Each year, teachers who foster a love of learning, motivate students in the classroom, and provide a positive influence beyond it are nominated by the people who know them best — students, parents, and colleagues. To be eligible, a teacher must have completed a minimum of three years of instruction within Arlington ISD and must be actively working directly with students.

Nominations span pre-kindergarten through high school, organized across five grade-level categories. From there, an independent selection committee — comprised of business, community, and education leaders, screened to prevent conflicts of interest — evaluates nominees through an extensive process of classroom observation and direct interviews.

Each Award of Excellence winner receives a $3,000 cash prize, and each runner-up receives $1,500 — unrestricted, in recognition of their dedication and craft. At the annual Awards of Excellence Banquet each spring, all nominated teachers receive special recognition — because at AWARE, the honor of being seen matters as much as the prize itself.

The mission is simple, and it has never wavered: to inspire, recognize, and reward exceptional teaching in AISD classrooms through the power of community.