In schools across the country, educators like myself are looking forward to the holiday break, which brings much-needed time and distance from the daily classroom’s activities. It will be a time for celebration, rest, and relaxation. It will also be a time for reflection. As you sit at home and ponder the New Year ahead, consider submitting a proposal for the NAGC 72nd Annual Convention (NAGC25), which will be held November 13-16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Perhaps you have thought about submitting before or have already contemplated doing so this year. Maybe you are a bit apprehensive about doing it altogether. Let this be your motivation to submit a proposal to present at NAGC25! 

I can clearly recall the first time I submitted, the first time my session was accepted, and the first time I presented at the NAGC convention. It was exhilarating! To stand before a group of students and teach is one thing, but nothing can prepare you for the excitement you feel standing in front of an audience of professional educators sharing curricular ideas and materials. Looking back on it now, I realize it was the catalyst for years of presentations to come.   

As educators, we certainly have firsthand knowledge of student needs, what works and what doesn’t—All valuable information, activities, ideas, and lessons to share with an audience. 

Educators make up the majority of the NAGC audience, and they are hungry for practical information that they can take back to their schools and apply immediately. Consider what learning activities you use. Think about those lessons that the students, administrators, and other faculty rave about. What are your methods? Have you been involved in developing a new program? Is there a unit of instruction you enjoy delivering? What are your favorite resources? These are just a few questions that can shape an excellent submission. 

Have I persuaded you yet? If so, read on. 

The first step is to visit and register on the submission site. It is easy to create an account. Simply scroll past the submission information (which you should read!) and click Join Now to begin. Once you are logged in, click Begin a New Proposal. There are now some items to fill out and some decisions to make. NAGC has 16 networks, and you will need to choose to which one you will submit your proposal. You can read about their specifics for submissions and see the State of Pennsylvania specific requests. NAGC also provides the scoring rubric reviewers will use. Note that the rubric has gone through an overhaul this year. In addition to seven questions relating to content and clarity, reviewers will also consider the proposal’s match to the selected the network, if there is a connection to one or more elements of the NAGC Strategic Plan, how well attended the session will be, and an overall rating. 

The next step is to think of a title for your presentation, and honestly, try to be as creative as possible. Remember that your submission will be read by at least three reviewers, so pull them in right away. After submitting your presentation title, you will be taken to a page with 5 tasks to complete. Each task will ask you for specifics relating to your submission and will be annotated with a green checkmark when complete. Abstract Details is first. You will see your title displayed and then make a selection on the format of your presentation. There are details of each to help you decide. Following that you will be asked if you are willing to adapt your format preference, and if so, in what ways. This will help the selection committee in considering what would work best for the schedule. Next, you will comment on the level of knowledge presented and offer a 60-word short and 250-word extended description that describes your presentation. I suggest writing the 250-word description first and then edit that version to fit the 60-word description. Be concise and get to the point. Consider the objectives and goals you have for the session. Clicking continue will take you back to the Tasks Page.   

Task 2 involves extended details for your presentation. You’ll be asked about your target audience(s), grade level(s), presentation style, session length preference, and possible connections to the NAGC Strategic Plan. Click continue and move on to the Learning Outcomes task, Task 3, where you will be asked to enter three Learning Outcomes. Consider what instructional strategies will you present and what you want the attendees to come away with? Will it be interactive? Will you provide materials? Continue on to the last 2 tasks, Proposal Presenters and Speaker Rules and Responsibilities. If you are the only presenter, simply edit your profile and click Save Presenter. If adding secondary presenters, fill in their name and email and Add Presenter. You can send an invite email to let them know they were added. Ideally, you should have already alerted your co-presenter(s) that you would be adding them. You will then complete the last task and agree to 5 items, clicking submit agreement when done.  

When all of your tasks are complete, click Next and if you want to preview your submission, you can. The last step is to click Submit. There will be a green box indicating it has been submitted and you will receive a confirmation email. That is all you need to do. Users can submit up to 3 proposals for 2025.

Each moment spent in the classroom provides the opportunity to make a change in the lives of your students. Sharing what you do and what you know at an NAGC convention greatly expands your classroom beyond the four walls you are accustomed to. Your unique and creative ideas can spread far and wide. Plus, there are lots of other sessions for you to attend to enrich your own learning and teaching. 

The time has come to be proud of what you have accomplished in the classroom and share it with others. Give it a shot! The NAGC25 Request for Proposals deadline is February 2, 2025, 3:00 PM PT. Make it your New Year’s resolution, and just do it!