The John Marshall Foundation (JMF) presented its 2018 Teacher Awards, co-sponsored by the law firms of Hunton Andrews Kurth and Kaplan Voekler Cunningham & Frank at the Richmond Bar Association’s Annual Law Day Luncheon, May 1, at the Omni Richmond Hotel. Thomas G. Slater Jr., JMF President and Hunton AK Special Counsel, presented awards to Lucille M. Brown Middle School history teacher Sarah Anzelmo-Steele (Richmond Public Schools), and to Abingdon High School history teacher Mary Anne Beverly (Washington County Public Schools). 

Anzelmo-Steele is a twelve-year veteran teacher currently teaching eighth-grade Virginia Civics and Economics. She is known for her creative and engaging approach to covering the US Constitution, including a favorite assignment where students work in teams to create super heroes who embody either “consent of the governed,” “limited government,” or “rule of law,” three of the five fundamental principles of the Constitution. 

Beverly is in her fourteenth year of teaching and currently teaches AP Government & Politics. She embraces technology and other student-focused instructional tools in a thorough overview of the Constitution offered at the beginning of the year before textbooks are opened. Beverly is known for her civics-centric Twitter account and was invited to the White House in 2014 for a “Tweet Up” of President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Each year, the John Marshall Foundation recognizes outstanding middle and high school classroom teachers who demonstrate knowledge of and enthusiasm for the US Constitution as evidenced through activities inside and outside of the classroom. Nominees are selected from public and private schools and must have been teaching for a minimum of five years to be considered. JMF Teacher Award winners receive a certificate and a cash prize of $2500 each.