Awards | mfgef

Awards & Programs

Master Teachers Award

The Marian Greenblatt Education Fund awards each of three Master Teachers $2,000. The winners are chosen for their ability to inspire their students to achieve and to encourage younger teachers to be the best they can be. Since 1989, the Fund has recognized 114 teachers for excellence. Master Teacher nominees must spend the majority of their time teaching and have six years experience in Montgomery County Schools at the time of nomination.

Teacher of the Year

In collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), the Greenblatt Fund honors its winners at the Champions for Children Celebration in April.

One of the three Master Teachers who wins the award above is designated the Montgomery County Teacher of the Year by MCPS and entered in the Maryland Teacher of the Year competition. Maryland’s Teacher of the Year holds a prominent position as a spokesperson for Maryland education and is Maryland’s candidate for the National Teacher of the Year. The County Teacher of the Year is given a one-year lease of a new car by Fitzgerald Automall, a laptop computer, $2,000 in cash, and other prizes as well. A 2005 Marian winner, Kim Oliver, became National Teacher of the Year, and was honored at the White House in 2006.

Rising-Star Teacher Award

Since 1997, the Fund has recognized a Rising-Star teacher who is clearly on the way to being a Master Teacher.

This award got off to a tremendous start when the first honoree went on to win a similar award as the best first-year teacher in Maryland.

High School Students - Social Studies

In 1998 the Fund began giving $100 awards to high school juniors who have demonstrated excellence in Social Studies. Each of the public high schools in Montgomery County selects an award-winning student on the basis of his/her grades in Social Studies courses, demonstrated proficiency in research and/or writing, and involvement in extra-curricular activities and community service. So far, $54,900 has been given to 549 students.

World Language Scholarship through the Jones Family/Plasma Fellows/Greenblatt Fund

In 1988, Dr. Walter & Ms. Perlita Jones initiated a scholarship program for outstanding performance in a foreign language. In 2007, The Plasma Fellows and The Marian Greenblatt Education Fund joined this effort. Until 2017, the scholarship was given to a student at Watkins Mill High School. Beginning in 2019, the $1,000 scholarship is available to a junior from any MCPS high school.

The winner is selected based on recommendations from the World Language Department at his or her school and a brief essay submitted by the applicant.

University of Maryland Aspiring Teacher Award

In 2012, the Fund began recognizing an outstanding student (undergraduate or graduate) at the University of Maryland College of Education, who aspires to teach K-12.

Montgomery County Students Information Technology Foundation, Inc.

The Fund helped to found and continues to sponsor the Information Technology Foundation, a computer technology program in certain county high schools. Dr. Marshal Greenblatt, President of the Marian Greenblatt Fund, served as a founder and as second president of the MCSITF 2005-2006 and has been a member of its Board of Directors since inception.