YouTube is looking to give some much-needed celebrity status to the most engaging teachers in the world. They’re conducting an Internet-wide competition of the best video lessons, which will be judged by an all-star panel of online educators, such as Sal Khan of Khan Academy. “The rise of online educational videos is giving learners access to the world’s greatest thinkers and teachers, leveling the playing field for all,” explains the YouTube blog announcement. “We believe that inspiring online educators can come from all walks of life, and we want to find the next generation of educational YouTube stars.”

Google’s original $300 million foray into original content was all about unearthing the next generation of entertainment celebrities. This new education project bridges the long-held hope that the Internet can centralize the world’s best teachers with the marketing power of one of the great new media companies.