Baptist Educators Serving Texans (B.E.S.T.)

Why are we presenting these awards?

Since 1886, Texas Baptists have been strong supporters of university education in Texas. The B.E.S.T. Awards (Baptist Educators Serving Texans) will be given annually in order to:

1. Recognize the value and the positive contribution our Texas Baptists universities are making to our public school systems in Texas.
2. Identify and celebrate individual Texas public school educators who, every day in their classrooms, live out their faith to the students they serve.
3. Encourage Texas Baptists (BGCT) churches to remember that their mission gifts through the Cooperative Program support our Texas Baptists universities and the training of approximately 800 new public school educators annually who invest in the lives of children for years to come.

Who can be nominated?

A candidate for a B.E.S.T. award is an educator (teacher, coach, counselor, administrator, etc.) in a state approved or accredited school, prekindergarten through grade twelve. Each candidate currently must be:

• A teacher or administrator in a Texas public school system;
• A graduate of one of our nine Texas Baptist Universities; and
• A member of a Baptist church supportive of the BGCT (Texas Baptists).

What is the timeline for applications?

June 5, 2020: Application submission deadline.

June 19, 2020: Semifinalists and their nominators will be contacted.

July 17, 2020: Letters of recommendation for semifinalists due.

August 17, 2020: Finalists will be notified.

September/October 2020: Awards presented in various venues.

November 16, 2020: Announcement of recipients and video presentation at BGCT Annual Meeting.