The APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It is remarkable to think of the many teachers and students who have been impacted by the work of TOPSS in the last 30 years. As the current chair of TOPSS, I am honored to be a part of this celebration, and as a teacher of Psychology, I am thankful for what TOPSS has done for me in the 19 years I have taught the course.
TOPSS began in 1992 as an executive steering committee, becoming an official APA committee in 1993. I like to think this gives us two anniversaries to celebrate. We have grown in membership over the last 30 years and have brought countless resources, unit plans, lesson plans, awards, and professional workshops to teachers. Thanks to generous support from the American Psychological Foundation and incredible benefactors such as Dr. Lee Gurel and Dr. and Mrs. David and Carol Myers, we have been able to offer grant programs and summer workshops to teachers across the country. We have produced science fair guides, sent certificates to members to recognize their outstanding students, sponsored an annual essay contest for students, supported the work of the 2017 APA Summit on High School Psychology Education, and more. TOPSS has worked to promote the science of Psychology in so many ways. One of the most important contributions includes the work within the APA to continuously improve and update our curriculum standards to promote the quality teaching of Psychology as a science. The APA first created national standards for high school Psychology curriculum in 1999 with revisions in 2005, 2011, and most currently in 2022.
For me personally TOPSS has been more than just a professional organization I belong to. I have gone from being a first-year teacher and member of TOPSS desperately searching for quality vetted materials for my classroom, to personally involving myself in the TOPSS committee and being your Chair. I have also benefited from every moment in between. I learned that my state had a yearly conference for Psychology teachers, and I started attending and now work on the committee. I have made countless connections with other educators and attended fantastic professional workshops. I know many of you have benefited from similar regional teaching networks and conferences, and thanks to APF funding, TOPSS continues to support these great opportunities.
I’d like to thank the entire current APA TOPSS Committee and all past Committee members – high school teachers and our college faculty representatives too. You have made TOPSS the amazing network and group it is today. Thanks also to all our current and past TOPSS members, and to everyone who has supported us these last 30 years. Thank you APA for supporting and believing in us and for seeing high school Psychology as the start of the pathway into the discipline and as one of the best opportunities to positively impact young students through a high school course. Here’s to the next 30 years.
Dana Melone, MAT, teaches at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She has been teaching psychology and AP psychology for 19 years. She has also been a part of the AP reading as a reader and table leader for many years. She is the current chair of the APA TOPSS committee. 
