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Awards for Teachers and Organizations

AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 15. See nomination link below.

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OTEA awards for teachers and organizations are coordinated with the Honor Committee, chaired by the Treasurer, and handed out with other annual awards during the State Festival. Awards include the following:

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  • Rae Mona Reynolds Humanitarian for the Arts Award

    • This award is named in honor of Rae Mona Reynolds, theatre instructor at David Douglas High School for over 30 years. Ms. Reynolds passed away in 1990.

    • The award shall be presented to an individual or business who, through unselfish donation of time or monetary support, has furthered the activities of secondary school theatre in Oregon.

  • Michael Hibbard Community Through Theatre Award

    • This award is named in memory of Michael Hibbard, long time theatre teacher and director at Madison HS and member of OTEA. Michael created a unique sense of community through educational theatre in every organization in which he was a part.

    • The award will be presented to an individual who or organization that builds and sustains a sense of community through educational theatre.

  • Rex Rabold Oregon-Educated Theatre Teacher Award

    • This award is named in memory of Rex Rabold, graduate of South Salem High School and Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University), who distinguished himself as an actor and teacher, primarily at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland. Rex passed away in 1990.

    • The award is presented to an individual who received a substantial portion of their education in Oregon and has achieved professional status in acting, writing, directing, or other aspects of theatre arts. The recipient of the award should have had a portion of their career in direct contact with students or teachers of secondary school theatre.

  • Oregon Thespians Theatre Teacher of the Year

    • This award is honoring a theatre teacher who has demonstrated exceptional and inspirational teaching of secondary school theatre to students in any or all theatre areas (such as acting, directing, playwriting, design/tech, and so on) and have contributed a positive impact on the theatre education community in this state.

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Each year, Oregon Thespians inducts a new member into the Oregon Theatre Educators’ Hall of Fame with the Melba Day Sparks Henning Award.

 

  • Melba Day Sparks Henning Hall of Fame Award

    • The award is given each year as a career achievement award to adults who have extraordinary service with Oregon Thespians or Oregon secondary educational theatre.

    • Honorees are nominated by their peers, other adults familiar with the nominee, or by the nominee’s students.

    • Troupe Directors are also invited to nominate Thespian and non-Thespian adults who have made exceptional contributions to the growth of theatre and theatre education in Oregon. The award is given each year at the State Festival.

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Oregon Thespians and Oregon Theatre Educators’ Association recognizes theatre educators with these awards. Individuals and organizations can be nominated at the same online site listed below.  Click here for more information about OTEA.

Scholarships for Teachers

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE DUE MARCH 15. See application link below. Funds apply to the next annual Educational Theatre Association's Theatre Education Conference noted below.

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Thanks to the Melba Day Sparks Henning Teacher Scholarship Fund funding is available for Troupe Directors to attend the annual Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) Theatre Education Conference.​ 

 

Look on the EdTA website for more information about this year's Theatre Education Conference.

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To apply for this funding, answer the following questions as completely as possible and submit the additional material as requested with your complete contact information:

  • Please tell us about your current teaching assignment; subject(s) and location.

  • Number of years at this school.

  • Educational background and experience (current resume).

  • What is the school’s philosophy toward training students in theatre?

  • What festivals, competitions or conferences has your school attended/participated in during the past three years?

  • What honors and awards has your theatre department received in the past three years?

  • List the professional theatre organization affiliation of faculty and the school.

 

Please provide the following letters:

  • A statement from you as to how you will use this award and how you will share material you gain from the conference.

  • A letter from your principal regarding your theatre program, its impact on your community, and its role in the total curriculum of your school.

 

Contact Laura Steenson, Scholarship Committee Chair, milwaukiehs@oregonthespians.org for further information.

©2025 by Oregon Thespians.

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