The 20 Under 2 Novice Teaching Awards celebrate emerging teachers who are setting the pace for excellent teaching.
Each year, 20 honorees are selected from across the state for outstanding classroom culture, fostering academic success, and their commitment to Oklahoma students and communities.
All full-time public school teachers in their first or second year of teaching or those who have returned to the classroom after ten or more years are eligible. See full eligibility requirements here.
Anyone can nominate a novice teacher for the award. Nominations for 20 Under 2 open at the end of January each year. Nominate a teacher today!
It is critical that we continue to find ways to invest in our state’s teaching talent because our students deserve the most skillful and experienced educators.”
Dr. Joanna Lein, TLI Executive Director
20 Under 2 was created to recognize the talent and dedication of Oklahoma’s newest teachers amidst a challenging landscape. In recent years, Oklahoma educators have grappled with limited resources, large class sizes, and low pay, and more recently, the challenges of a global pandemic. For educators just beginning their profession, these challenges are especially difficult. After five years, only about half of new teachers remain in the classroom and schools struggle to recruit high-quality teacher candidates. The 20 Under 2 awards acknowledges these difficulties, and honors new teachers’ whose emerging strengths and talents are needed now more than ever.
Click below to see past honorees!
2021 Honorees
2020 Honorees
2019 Honorees
