Mark Minnick, MAT, a psychology teacher at Southside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, has been named a recipient of a 2026 APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award by APA’s Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS).
Minnick has spent 32 years in the classroom, the last 20 years at Southside High School, where he teaches both Advanced Placement (AP) psychology and introduction to psychology to over 200 students each year. He also serves as the social studies department chair. His work in the classroom has earned prior recognition, including a Yale Educator Award in 2022 and an ArcBest Excellence Award in 2021.
In his classroom, Minnick’s philosophy centers on making psychology personal. He attempts to bring each concept to life through real-world examples drawn from students’ own experiences, whether it involves training their pets, understanding their parents, or examining the ordinary moments of everyday life. “Everything is easier with an example,” he tells his students, a mantra they know well. The goal, as Minnick sees it, is for students to discover that psychology can help them “explain their own experiences, understand the people around them, and even live happier, healthier, and more productive lives.”
A former student, now a college neuroscience major, credits Minnick with shaping their career trajectory. They described Minnick’s teaching as both creative and deeply personal, recalling how a simple, fun mnemonic for the resting potential of a neuron laid a foundation that is still drawn upon in advanced coursework. But the student pointed to something beyond content knowledge, “A conversation with Mr. Minnick changed my perspective,” they wrote, describing how Minnick challenged them to reflect on their own motivation. The moment of introspection reflected the very discipline they were studying.
Jeff Mosby, assistant principal at Southside High School, called Minnick “a master teacher who excels in creating an engaging and inclusive learning environment.” Mosby praised Minnick’s student-centered approach and his skillful questioning techniques, noting that he “constantly seeks ways to enhance his teaching practices and better serve his students.”
Minnick’s influence extends well beyond his school. He is an AP psychology consultant for the College Board, leading workshops for teachers across the country and internationally. He was also selected as one of seven presenters for the College Board’s original AP Daily video series, creating over 20 instructional videos reaching teachers and students nationwide. Driven by what he calls his greatest contribution—the relationships he has built with teachers—Minnick worked to establish a regional psychology teacher network in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and continues to mentor both new and veteran educators.
“As a 32-year veteran educator, Minnick is no stranger to how to best use psychology content to impact student learning in his classroom,” said APA TOPSS Committee chair Kari Hall, MA. “He is a seasoned educator whose commitment to quality education is proven year after year when students excel through his modeling of engaging lessons anchored in psychological principles.”
The APA TOPSS Committee is honored to present this award to Minnick for his commitment to making psychology personal and relevant for his students, and for his dedication to mentoring and supporting psychology teachers across the country.
As an award recipient, Minnick will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a complimentary TOPSS membership renewal for the 2027 membership year. He 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, 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 1,600 high school teacher affiliates in APA.
High school psychology is a rapidly growing course option. In 2025, just over 334,000 students took the AP psychology examination (College Board, 2025). Additionally, over 30,000 high school students worldwide took the International Baccalaureate exam in psychology in 2025 (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2025-a, 2025-b). Other psychology courses are taught at the high school level, including on-level, dual credit, and Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education psychology courses. The most recent available 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).
Considering that students can directly apply content and concepts learned in the psychology class to their daily lives, and that psychology is a science that promotes important skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, APA sees high school psychology courses as highly valuable and relevant in the high school curriculum. A quality psychology course may enhance needed life skills, prepare students for—and interest them in—a variety of careers, and improve mental health literacy.
TOPSS’ 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 TOPSS webpage and on its Facebook pageopens in new window.
APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with 190,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students among 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.