FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Philadelphia, PA – The Jack Miller Center has announced the winners of the 5^th annual Teaching Excellence Award. Senior scholar Richard Avramenko of Arizona State University, along with junior scholar Jordan Cash of Michigan State University, have received the 2025 awards in higher education. Justin Emrich of Olentangy Berkshire Middle School won in the category of primary and secondary educators, with Bill Plucker of Walla Walla High School receiving an honorable mention.  

Civic learning depends on cultivating young minds through stories of hope, inspiration, and success. At the Jack Miller Center, we have met thousands of educators across the country who are inspiring their students to be more engaged and thoughtful citizens. 

The Jack Miller Center’s Teaching Excellence Award is an annual honor recognizing college and K-12 educators who do an exceptional job engaging students in the story of America through primary documents, new courses, and/or extracurricular activities.  

To select our annual awardees, JMC assesses student nominations, field evaluations, and in-depth reports from the nominees themselves. Through our rigorous process, we find the best and brightest civic educators in America. The dedication of these teachers fills us with immense hope for the future of civic education. Their steadfast efforts are a testament to the ongoing influence of great teachers in the classroom and beyond.

“With America’s 250th anniversary around the corner, it is so important that we recognize outstanding educators who have committed their lives to teaching about our country, its history, and our responsibilities as citizens,” JMC president Hans Zeiger said. “These exceptional educators are setting the example and making a profound difference every day. We thank them for all they are doing for their students and for our country.”

Senior Scholar Winner

Richard Avramenko is Professor and Director of the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University. His peer nominator was inspired by Avramenko’s countless personal sacrifices made for the civic health of his students and community, noting “He does not merely teach civics or direct programs of civic education—his life and character exude the commitment to community that is the purpose of civic education. Avramenko students learn to be responsible citizens of the communities wherein they are set… As a naturalized U.S. citizen, he embodies the gratitude and patriotism that is so often lacking among native-born citizens. In short, Avramenko’s entire approach to education and friendship is an invitation into the great drama that is civic and community life.”  

His willingness to engage with a variety of opinions, passion for civic education, and friendship, ignited one foreign-born student’s desire not only to become a citizen, but to run for public office. 

Avramenko said he truly loves teaching and particularly appreciates the intelligence and hard work of his students. 

“I’m deeply grateful for this recognition. Teaching ought to be the primary task of all university professors and, for me, it has always been easy because such great students have come my way!” Avramenko said. 

Junior Scholar Winner

Jordan Cash is an Assistant Professor in James Madison College at Michigan State University. His award application demonstrated a strong commitment to student engagement through the reading of founding documents as well as lively student simulations of the Constitutional Convention and ratification debates. A former student who now works on Capitol Hill notes that these activities “prepared me tenfold” for work in a congressional office. While playing out these monumental events, students grapple with the challenges and compromises made by the Founders and better realize the great task that they faced in developing our constitutional government. 

In addition to this work with college students, Cash organizes, leads, and teaches civic education programming for K-12 teachers. 
 
Cash offered gratitude for his students and colleagues who aided his development as a teacher. 

“My goal as an educator is to guide my students to possess greater civic knowledge and attain a sophisticated understanding of the society they live in so that they can passionately and intelligently enter the public discourse as informed and clear-thinking individuals. To be recognized for that work with this award is a great honor and I am humbled to receive it. I am also grateful to the Jack Miller Center as well as my friends, colleagues, and students at Michigan State University, Baylor University, and the University of Virginia for their support in helping me develop as a teacher and scholar,” Cash said. 

K-12 Winner

Justin Emrich is an 8^th Grade American History Teacher at Olentangy Berkshire Middle School in Ohio. He recognizes a curiosity in his young students and feeds that curiosity by providing them a space to question and think deeply about the American political tradition. He sincerely believes in his middle school students’ abilities and engages them with stimulating activities, including a student debate on interpretations of the Declaration of Independence during the Civil War era. One enthusiastic eighth grader observed, “It’s really awesome and you find out that you are more capable of doing difficult assignments than you think,” and another shared, “You opened my eyes to the truth and the necessities of digging past what information is given to you.” 

While Emrich’s approach invites tough questions in the classroom, this is crucial to raising citizens who can think critically. He pushes back against a trend of avoiding these difficult questions. 

“Many teachers feel outside pressure and choose to play it safe. The political climate, combined with growing scrutiny of classroom content, creates hesitation and silence… [but] We cannot expect informed citizens to emerge from classrooms that are afraid to ask meaningful questions,” Emrich said. 

Emrich’s teaching excellence award has further fed his zeal for civic education. 

“I am truly honored and excited to receive a Jack Miller Center Teaching Excellence Award. This recognition strengthens my passion to inspire students to think critically, work hard, and see themselves as leaders capable of changing the world,” Emrich said. “I’m grateful for the support of the Jack Miller Center in celebrating teachers and the impact we can have on our students. Words will never describe how thrilled I am to tell my family, coworkers, students and friends about this honor.”

K-12 Honorable Mention

Bill Plucker is a Civics & A.P. Government Teacher at Walla Walla High School in Washington State. He was nominated for the teaching excellence award by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who visited his classroom and was deeply impressed by Plucker’s commitment to his students and their future as well-informed American leaders. “Our founding documents and symbols have been a staple in educating my students why America was meant to be different than every other country. There is nothing else quite like us… ‘We the People’ actually means something,” Plucker said. 

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Plucker demonstrates the virtues of civic duty, service, and leadership in everyday interactions, whether it be coaching a sports team, teaching in the classroom, or preserving historic landmarks in the local community.  

Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers said Plucker exemplifies “excellence in civic education through more than three decades of inspired teaching and unwavering dedication to his students.” 

“He not only brings America’s founding principles to life but also prioritizes teaching the Constitution and the values it upholds, motivating curiosity, responsibility, and a commitment to our nation’s ideals,” McMorris Rodgers said. “In his classroom, Bill prepares young people to become thoughtful, engaged citizens and future leaders. I am honored to have nominated him and thrilled to see his remarkable contributions recognized by the Jack Miller Center.” 

Plucker said he is touched to be recognized. 

“Being recognized by The Jack Miller Center Teaching Excellence Award is a very humbling experience. Teaching Social Studies and, in particular, civics, has been a passion of mine for over 33 years. Civics education is so important. Being a citizen may be a right, but knowing how to be a citizen is learned and practiced. Civic education is vital to all of us becoming engaged active citizens.”