Mar

Winners of the 2023 Education Awards will be honored April 19

The Smithsonian Education Awards (Education Achievement, One Smithsonian Award and the Education Innovation and Access Award) honor outstanding staff achievements by Smithsonian educators that open the doors to invite lifelong learners, students, families, communities, fellows, interns, and educators everywhere to discover our extraordinary programming, resources, collections, and research. The awards recognize creativity, excellence, and commitment to serving the nation through distance learning, educational programming, digital media, publications, and exhibitions.

This year’s recipients of are:

2023 Education Achievement Award

Andrea Kim Neighbors

Andrea Kim Neighbors, Head of Education at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, receives the 2023 Education Achievement Award for her extensive contributions not only to the Smithsonian Institution, but also to diverse educational organizations, educators, K-12 students, community scholars, and the public during her eight years of service. Andrea brings to her work a combination of content creation, enthusiastic engagement across units, empathy, mentorship, and a relentless commitment to expanding the understanding of public humanities.

2023 One Smithsonian Award

Earth Optimism Youth Action & Leadership Team receives the 2023 One Smithsonian Education Award for exemplary pan-institutional collaboration. Led by Smithsonian Affiliations and the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Earth Optimism Youth Action & Leadership builds environmental and justice literacy and leadership in high school students through informal place- and project-based learning. Through EOYAL, the team draws on resources and expertise from across the Smithsonian to collaborate with students and teachers from Title I schools in historically underserved communities that are more vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Through EOYAL, students bring lasting sustainability practices to their schools and communities, while also developing leadership skills, environmental literacy, and their identities as changemakers.

2023 Education and Innovation Award

composite of 8 photos from APAC Masters of Tradition

The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritages’ Masters of Tradition: A Cultural Journey Across America receives the 2023 Education Innovation and Access Award. The free, online story map takes educators, students, and families on a cultural journey across the United States. They discover inspiring stories of the American experience and the incredible diversity of communities and artistic expressions that enrich our nation and learn more about their own cultural heritage and the traditions of others.

Please join Under Secretary for Education Monique Chism on Wednesday, April 19 from 6:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. to celebrate the nominees and awardees. The speaking program, with a keynote by Secretary Lonnie Bunch, will be held at the National Museum of the American Indian’s Rasmuson Theater, immediately followed by a reception in the Potomac Atrium. Please RSVP by March 30 at https://s.si.edu/CelebrateEdu.