Local teachers have a chance to be honored this fall by Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Greg Marlow, commander of Brookhaven VFW Cpt. Danny D. Entrican Post 2618, has announced the opening of this year’s Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award contest.

“We’re just trying to do a little bit more this year,” Marlow said.

The VFW recognizes three teachers in the United States each year who go above and beyond in their professions in order to teach what it means to be an American and everything that goes along with it.

The winning teachers receive $1,000 each for their professional development, $1,000 for their school and an all-expenses-paid trip to the VFW’s national convention in July.

Teachers of grades kindergarten through fifth, sixth through eighth and nine through 12 can be nominated by fellow teachers, students, supervisors or anyone else who is interested.

The qualifications include promoting civic responsibility, flag etiquette, patriotism and a passion to help their students understand democratic values and beliefs.

“We’ve got so many teachers in our area that do so much for veterans,” Marlow said. “Those teachers that are organizing these veterans events are deserving of this award.”

Nominations must be submitted to Post 2618 by Oct. 31. Nominated teachers will compete at the local post level with the winners advancing to the district competition. Those winners will then compete in the state level with those winners advancing to the national competition.

Since 1999, the organization has annually showcased the country’s best teachers who instill a sense of national pride by teaching citizenship and promoting America’s history and traditions positively and effectively, he said.

The Brookhaven post has never received a nomination, but Marlow would love to see teachers from the area be nominated.

“There has never been an entry, and we try to get one every year,” Marlow said.

If anyone is interested in nominating a teacher, contact the citizenship education chairman at 601-757-1303 or flh97harley@aol.com.

For more information, go to www.vfw.org/teacheroftheyear.

Story by Gracie Byrne