Checkpoint Charlie Foundation Teacher Award

Every November, as part of the annual meeting of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), the foundation presents the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation Teacher Award to exceptional teachers of German in recognition of their contributions to the profession.

The 2017 recipients: Lisa Werner (l.) and Dr. Kathleen Condray (r.)

The selection of the two award recipients is managed by the AATG. One comes from the elementary, middle and high school level, and the other represents a college or university. From 1999-2015, the award was known as the Outstanding German Educator Award. The award includes a 2,000€ travel grant that enables the recipients to visit Germany in the upcoming year and to participate in the Education Enrichment Program (EEP), which the foundation organizes as part of its School Teachers Exchange Program (STEP) for multipliers in American education. A research or project proposal is not necessary to be eligible to receive the award. Rather, the visit to Germany is intended to further cultural exchange between Germany and the United States and serve as a commendation for long-term, outstanding German instruction in the USA.

For further information about eligibility and the nomination process, please see the website of the AATG.

Testimony from an award recipient

“After ten years, I was finally able to travel to Germany and Austria again. Last summer I spent almost four weeks travelling through Germany, including a couple of days in Austria. I could not have afforded such a trip without this grant. I am very thankful, because in the United States, I often do not have the opportunity or cultural occassion to speak German in everyday situations. I now feel more secure in the classrom and can offer my students more than I could before…by spending time in German-speaking country, you gain deeper insights and a better understanding of customs and ways of life, which you can then better explain to your students. Once again, thank you very much for this opportunity and this wonderful honor!”
Linda Zins-Adams, 2014 grant recipient

Further Information

AATG Award Recipients list

American Association of Teachers of German (AATG)