Caroline Shupe, MA, a psychology teacher at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, has been named a recipient of the 2025 APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award by the APA’s Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS).
Shupe was drawn to education to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. She has spent all 16 years of her teaching career at Adlai E. Stevenson High School. For the past eight years, she has also served as a team leader of Stevenson’s psychology team, a testament to her dedication to psychological science. She is a co-sponsor of Stevenson’s student-run psychology club.
Two of her former students and psychology club members called Shupe an “exceptionally gifted” teacher. They said that she “cultivates a positive and welcoming environment where students are able to be comfortable and engaged.”
Shupe’s glowing reviews from her students reflect the values she brings to the classroom. She is committed to providing accessible learning opportunities for all students. Her curriculum incorporates psychological science to critically engage students through meaningful ideas and perspectives.
Nancy Fenton, Shupe’s colleague of over 15 years and co-sponsor of Stevenson’s psychology club, reaffirmed this sentiment. “She believes that all students, regardless of background or language proficiency, can succeed and grow throughout the learning process,” Fenton said, while also highlighted Shupe’s ongoing efforts to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of Stevenson’s highly multilingual student base.
Shupe and Fenton coach a group of students in preparation for the Chicago Brain Bee, a neuroscience competition for high school students. “She has an incredible talent for inspiring students to explore psychology outside the classroom,” Fenton said. Under their guidance, two Stevenson students have won the local Brain Bee and advanced to the National Brain Bee.
Shupe also serves as the technical editor for REA’s Crash Course AP Psychology review book, a role that illustrates her attention to detail. In addition, she has contributed her time to help organize the Chicago Area Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (CHITOPSS) conference. She helped plan the 2023 CHITOPSS conference at Stevenson High School, which brought together over 150 educators from the Chicago area. Shupe’s commitment to promoting psychological science outside of the classroom reflects her deep passion for education and the field.
Shupe "creates a classroom environment where every student feels welcomed and engaged,” said APA TOPSS Committee chair Natasha Alston, MPS. “Her exceptional gift for teaching goes beyond textbooks as she inspires students to explore psychology in meaningful ways… Her dedication to Stevenson High School reflects her unwavering commitment to making a difference in her students' lives."
The APA TOPSS Committee is excited to present this award to Caroline Shupe for her commitment to her students and to advancing the quality of high school psychology teaching.
As an award recipient, Shupe will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a complimentary TOPSS membership renewal for the 2026 membership year. She will also receive complimentary copies of APA Style’s Publication Manual and Concise Guide to APA Style books, and a curated $200 value package of APA books selected by the APA TOPSS Committee.
TOPSS is the voice of high school psychology teachers within APA. Through APA’s education unit, TOPSS offers teaching materials, professional development opportunities, the Psychology Teacher Network quarterly newsletter, and programs for high school psychology teachers and students. There are approximately 2,000 APA high school teacher affiliates in APA.
High school psychology is a rapidly growing course option. In 2024, just over 320,100 students took the Advanced Placement psychology examination (College Board, 2024). Additionally, over 29,500 high school students worldwide took the IB psychology exam in psychology in 2024 (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024-a, 2024-b). Other psychology courses are taught at the high school level, including on-level, dual credit, and Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) psychology courses. Recent data from the Department of Education indicated that 29.96% of graduating students across the country had earned credit for taking a psychology course during high school (U.S. Department of Education, 2022)
TOPSS’s mission is to promote the highest standards in the teaching of psychology as a science and discipline; promote professional development and other means for lifelong learning for high school teachers of psychology; facilitate networking among teachers from all teaching levels of psychology; encourage recruitment and retention of students in the field of psychology; enhance the visibility and legitimacy of high school psychology; and recommend the appropriate response to advocacy, education policy and certification issues that impact the quality or visibility of teaching of high school psychology. Learn more about TOPSS on the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools webpage and on its Facebook page.
APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with 172,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members and supporters. APA's mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
For more information, please contact Emily Leary Chesnes.