Student Requirements

To nominate a teacher, students must meet the following requirements:

1. You must have your teacher’s permission for nomination
2. Only individual teachers are eligible for nomination
3. Nominations must be submitted by a single person. (Additional students may sign on to the nomination form as “supporting nominators” by uploading a file with names, emails, and testimonials along with the nomination form.)
4. No previous winner is eligible for a second award, but previous nominees may be nominated again in future years
5. The nominated teacher must meet all eligibility criteria (below)

 

Teacher Eligibility

In order to be considered for the Teacher of the Year award, each nominee must:

1. Must have been a bridge teacher for at least 5 years (either in person or online)
2. Must be a member of ACBL
3. Must be a member of the ABTA (or prepared to join the ABTA if nominated)
4. Must teach a minimum of 75 hours per year (e.g. 2 hours a week for  38 weeks or 3 hours a week for 25 weeks, etc.)
5. Must provide examples of lessons, class material or other teaching aids.   Particular attention will be paid to material created by the nominee
6. Must provide a video of themselves teaching (either virtually, face-to-face, or both) not to exceed 5 minutes
7. Cannot be a professional bridge player (e.g. may not earn more than 50% of their income from playing bridge)
8. Cannot be a published author (e.g. an author paid to provide articles for bridge magazines, websites and/or has written books published by a professional publisher, self-published and distributed books are allowed.)  Articles for District, Unit or Club newsletters are allowed.)
9. Cannot have risen to National attention.  This award was created to recognize a grassroots teacher in a community who is not well-known outside his or her community. (e.g. has not been featured in the ACBL Bulletin for their teaching, does not regularly teach at ACBL NABCs, is not a monthly columnist for the ACBL or other bridge publications (i.e. Bridge World, Bridgerama,  etc.)

Teachers will be considered with a focus on the following qualities (detailed description below)

• Teaching excellence 55%
• Innovation 25%
• Service to bridge 15%
• Service to the community 5%

A. Teaching excellence (55%)

• Student response or recommendations
• percentage of students who join organized bridge games
• quality of material used in courses especially personally developed material
  
• use of bridge material and reference material from published bridge authorities
• recommendation of other teachers or bridge professionals
• rationale provided by nominator(s)
• original written material used in teaching students

B. Innovation (25%) Demonstration of innovation associated with bridge teaching or bridge promotion including but not limited to:

• Bridge teaching methods
• Reaching out to youth
• Teaching seniors
• Teaching material
• Course content and approach
• Promotion of bridge
• Promotion of teacher
• Use of the Internet

C. Service to Bridge (15%) This will be based on evidence such as:

• Promotion of bridge and their own services through newsletters, websites, columns in print media, TV, or internet
• Role in organizing events for students but also for all players such as tournaments
• Establishing or participating in programs to teach bridge to young people
• Attempts to build the bridge community, encourage participation in bridge games, tournaments, online and in person, membership in the ACBL or ABA
• Mentoring including mentoring students or other teachers or directors
• Support of  local bridge clubs and bridge games
• Encouraging students to participate in bridge tournaments
• Any and all efforts which will help to promote the game of bridge and/or the services of the teacher

D. Service to the Community (5%)

• All volunteer activities but especially those related to bridge. This could include donating services in teaching or running games.
• Organizing and participating in charitable events with a focus on those associated with bridge but other charity activities will be considered.
• All efforts associated with raising money for bridge (e.g. money for youth, international teams, promotion of bridge) etc.
• Any other demonstrable activities which help the community in which that person resides whether bridge related or not and whether paid or not. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE:June 1, 2025

Need more information or have questions, contact the  Committee Coordinator
Kristen Onsgard at toy@abtahome.com

Nomination Forms