To mark International Education Week and to celebrate the work of outstanding educators affiliated with our member organizations throughout the United States, the National Council for International Visitors (NCIV) established the “NCIV Educator of the Year” Award in 2004. In 2005, the NCIV Board of Trustees renamed the award as a tribute to former NCIV Board Chair, Mrs. Phyllis Layton Perry. This year's Award was presented during the NCIV National Meeting, February 13 – 16, 2008, in Washington, DC.
All NCIV member organizations are invited to nominate outstanding educators who have helped them increase global awareness in their classrooms and communities. Nominees should have done outstanding work in at least one of the following areas:
- hosting foreign leaders participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in their classrooms;
- orchestrating the visits of other foreign leaders, scholars, and international students to U.S. schools, colleges, and universities;
- developing stimulating curriculum and classroom projects pertaining to international cultures, history, or events; and/or
- participating in various school programs, events, and other activities designed to increase the knowledge of students and teachers about the world in which they live.
Nominations should consist of no more than two pages describing the candidate’s qualifications for this Award and should list the candidate’s relevant achievements. The nomination package may also include the nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae. A Selection Committee of NCIV Board members and representatives of program agency and community-based members will review all nominations and select a winner. The Award recipient must be able to attend the 2008 NCIV National Meeting and will have all expenses paid to do so.
Please submit nominations to Lorinne Emery Award for Volunteer Service; c/o NCIV; 1420 K St. NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, or fax to 202/289-4625. Contact Mark Rebstock, Director of Membership and Training with questions at 202/842-1414 or mrebstock@nciv.org.
Nomination Deadline: TBA
An outstanding citizen diplomat, NGO leader, and educator, Phyllis Layton Perry served as Executive Director of the International Visitors Council of Greater Cincinnati from 1993 to 1997 and on the Board of NCIV from 1998 to 2005. In addition, she was a four-term member of the Forest Hills Board of Education and received special recognition for exemplary service from the Ohio School Boards Association for her work in Education. Mrs. Perry passed away on March 8, 2005, after a long battle with lymphoma cancer.
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Steven Couch
History and Government Teacher
Mentor High School
Mentor Public Schools, OH
For over 10 years, Steven Couch has brought to the classroom his passion for all things international. Mr. Couch constantly promotes global awareness at Mentor High School, as well as emphasizing the importance of involving youth in world affairs. Not only does he educate his students about international affairs, but he also regularly presents them with opportunities to interact with foreigners, seeing citizen diplomacy in action.
Mr. Couch teaches social studies, government, and current affairs. In all of his classes, he dedicates time to discussing the headlines of the day. Students are required to bring one international story a day to class, a practice that results in discussions and lively debate about important world issues. Mr. Couch also frequently takes students to a series of guest speakers through the Cleveland Council on World Affairs’ Brown Bag lunch series. This affords the students the opportunity to hear speakers from all over the world.
In 2007, Mr. Couch first exposed his students to the International Visitors Leadership Program. Initiated by Mr. Couch, Mentor High School has hosted 23 young leaders from Europe. Mr. Couch recalled that the visitors and students were extremely enthusiastic about the experience, and didn’t want to end their conversations when the bell rang. He noted that “Mentor students were putting a great face on our country and our people. I can’t remember being more proud of our kids and our school.” Mr. Couch then followed-up the IVLP visit with a presentation to PTA presidents throughout the school district, where he advocated for support of foreign exchange opportunities and allowing students to give first-hand testimonies of their experiences.
In addition to orchestrating the visits of foreign leaders, scholars, and international students to U.S. schools, colleges, and universities, Mr. Couch is also a Model United Nations Coach for the school. Mr. Couch’s group of Model UN has grown from approximately six students per conference to 25-30 students per conference, with two conferences attended per year. Model U.N. has reached out to foreign exchange students in the school community, and has had International Visitors from CCWA's Global Classroom come in to help students prepare for conferences.
An outstanding citizen diplomat, Mr. Couch’s efforts have impacted hundreds of future leaders. He has opened the eyes of not just students, but parents, international guests, and all of the people involved with his programs. Thanks to Mr. Couch’s efforts, every student at Mentor High School has had the chance to experience the power of citizen diplomacy.
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2007 Vicki Gonterman, International Studies and Foreign Languages Teacher at Gibbs Magnet School, Little Rock School District
2007 John Waldron, History and Government Teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa Public Schools
2006 Sophia Holley Ellis, Biology & German Teacher, MSAT Program,
Martin Luther King Jr. High School,
Detroit Public Schools
2005 Claudia Crump, Ed.D.,
Board of Directors,
Louisville International Cultural Center
2005 Susie Tattershall,
Chinese and Japanese Language Teacher at Booker T. Washington High School,
Tulsa Public Schools (Honorable Mention)
2005 Janet Stearns,
Assistant Dean,
Director of University of Miami School of Law and International Foreign Programs (Honorable Mention)
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