Purpose: Recognizes a PK–12 classroom educator who demonstrates exceptional instructional practice, creates a rigorous and affirming learning environment, and makes a measurable difference in students’ academic and/or social-emotional growth.

Eligibility:

• Be a current PK–12 classroom educator in a public, charter, or private school.

• Have a minimum of 4 years of classroom teaching experience.

• Be serving in a classroom-based instructional role during the current or most recent school year.

• Demonstrate consistent, high-quality instructional practice aligned to grade-level standards and student needs.

• Create a classroom environment that is rigorous, inclusive, affirming, and responsive to students.

• Provide evidence of meaningful student learning, growth, engagement, or achievement.

• Demonstrate the ability to use student data, assessment results, and/or evidence of learning to inform and adjust instruction.

• Demonstrate a commitment to helping students develop as critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and confident learners.

Purpose: Honors an educator or school-based professional who demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing equity, removing barriers, and creating more inclusive and affirming experiences and outcomes for students.

Eligibility:

• Be a teacher, counselor, coach, instructional support professional, school-based leader, or other educator serving in a school or educational setting.

• Demonstrate intentional efforts to identify and address inequities that affect students’ access, opportunity, belonging, achievement, or well-being.

• Use practices, programs, advocacy, or leadership to create more equitable experiences and outcomes for students.

• Demonstrate a commitment to culturally responsive, inclusive, and student-centered practices.

• Provide evidence of impact at the classroom, school, district, or community level.

• May demonstrate impact through instructional practices, student advocacy, programming, family/community engagement, policy or systems change, or other equity-centered initiatives.

• No minimum years of service is required.

Purpose: Celebrates a promising early-career educator who demonstrates exceptional potential, a strong commitment to students, and a growing impact within their school or educational community.

Eligibility:

• Have 0–5 years of total experience in education.

• Currently serve as a teacher, counselor, instructional support professional, or other school-based educator.

• Demonstrate strong potential for continued professional growth and leadership.

• Build positive relationships with students and contribute to a supportive, engaging learning environment.

• Demonstrate a commitment to learning, reflection, and continuous improvement.

• Show initiative by contributing beyond their assigned responsibilities when opportunities arise.

• Provide evidence of meaningful contributions to students, colleagues, the school community, or the broader educational community.

Purpose: Recognizes a school or district leader who strengthens teaching and learning by developing educator capacity, improving instructional systems, and creating the conditions for student success.

Eligibility:

Nominees must:

• Currently serve, or have served within the past academic year, as a principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, dean, or district-based instructional leader.

• Demonstrate leadership that strengthens the quality and consistency of instruction.

• Provide evidence of improving educator practice, professional learning, coaching, collaboration, or instructional capacity.

• Establish systems, structures, or expectations that support effective teaching and learning.

• Foster a positive, inclusive, and student-centered school culture where educators feel supported and empowered to grow.

• Demonstrate evidence of impact on educator practice and/or student learning outcomes.

• Show a commitment to continuous improvement, reflective leadership, and the development of others.

Purpose: Honors an educator or school-based professional who builds meaningful partnerships with families, community organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen student success and extend the impact of education beyond the school building.

Eligibility:

• Be an educator or school-based professional serving students, families, or the school community.

• Demonstrate meaningful and intentional engagement with families, community organizations, businesses, nonprofits, or other community partners.

• Build partnerships that strengthen student access, support, engagement, belonging, or opportunity.

• Provide evidence that their partnerships have contributed to positive outcomes for students, families, or the broader school community.

• Demonstrate the ability to connect school-based efforts with resources, relationships, or opportunities beyond the school building.

• Show a commitment to collaboration, trust-building, and creating sustainable partnerships.

• Impact may occur at the classroom, school, neighborhood, or broader community level.

Purpose: Recognizes an educator or school-based professional who supports student-athletes as whole students, prioritizing their academic success, personal development, well-being, and future beyond athletics.

Eligibility:

Nominees must:

• Be a coach, teacher, counselor, administrator, or other school-based professional who works with student-athletes.

• Demonstrate a commitment to balancing athletic participation with academic achievement and personal growth.

• Provide meaningful support beyond athletics, such as academic mentoring, college and career planning, leadership development, social-emotional support, or life skills.

• Demonstrate advocacy for student-athletes’ access to academic resources, opportunities, and support systems.

• Build positive relationships that encourage student-athletes to develop character, confidence, responsibility, and resilience.

• Provide evidence of positive impact on student-athletes’ academic, personal, social-emotional, or postsecondary outcomes.

• May serve student-athletes in middle school or high school settings.

Purpose:
Honors guidance counselors, college advisors, and career specialists who help students navigate their academic, personal, and postsecondary pathways and prepare for success beyond graduation.

Eligibility:
Nominees must:

• Currently serve as a school-based guidance counselor, college advisor, or career specialist.

• Serve students in grades 6–12.

• Demonstrate meaningful impact in college and career readiness, postsecondary planning, workforce preparation, and/or social-emotional development.

• Provide intentional guidance that helps students identify and pursue pathways aligned to their goals, interests, and strengths.

• Advocate for equitable student access to college, career, workforce, financial aid, scholarship, or other postsecondary opportunities.

• Demonstrate strong relationships with students and provide individualized support, advocacy, and guidance.

• Provide evidence of positive impact on students’ preparedness, engagement, access, or successful transition to postsecondary opportunities.

Purpose:
Honors an education professional whose sustained service, leadership, and dedication have created a lasting legacy of impact for students, educators, schools, and the broader education community.

Eligibility:
Nominees must:

• Have a minimum of 15 years of service in education.

• Demonstrate significant, long-term impact on students, schools, educators, or the broader education community.

• May be currently serving or have retired within the past 2 years.

• Demonstrate a sustained commitment to excellence, leadership, service, and the advancement of education.

• Be recognized for meaningful mentorship, leadership, and investment in others throughout their career.

• Provide evidence of contributions that have continued to influence students, educators, schools, or communities over time.

• Demonstrate a legacy that reflects the values of service, impact, and dedication to education.

Purpose:
Honors the dedicated school-based professionals whose behind-the-scenes service, commitment, and care help schools thrive and ensure students, educators, and families have the support they need to succeed.

Eligibility:
Nominees must:

• Be a current school-based support professional who contributes to the daily success of students, educators, or the school community.

• May include school nurse, nutrition professionals, administrative assistants, secretaries, front-office staff, custodial staff, transportation professionals, paraprofessionals, and other essential support personnel.

• Demonstrate exceptional reliability, service, teamwork, and commitment to the school community.

• Consistently go beyond the basic expectations of their role to support students, families, colleagues, or school operations.

• Demonstrate a positive and meaningful impact on the school culture, student experience, or daily functioning of the school.

• Be recognized by colleagues and/or the school community as someone who is dependable, compassionate, and willing to step in wherever needed.

• Provide evidence of contributions that may not always be visible but are essential to creating a safe, welcoming, supportive, and successful school environment.

Purpose:
Honors an education leader whose vision, strategic leadership, and commitment to innovation have strengthened schools, expanded opportunities for students, and advanced meaningful improvement across a district or broader education system.

Eligibility:
Nominees must:

• Currently serve, or have served within the past academic year, in a district-level or education governance leadership role.

• May include superintendents, assistant/deputy superintendents, district executives, school board members, or other senior district leaders with significant influence on educational strategy and decision-making.

• Demonstrate a clear vision for improving educational experiences and outcomes for students.

• Provide evidence of translating vision into strategic initiatives, systems, policies, or practices that create meaningful and sustainable change.

• Demonstrate a commitment to equity, innovation, and opportunity for students across the district or communities served.

• Show evidence of strengthening schools, supporting educators, allocating resources strategically, or removing barriers to student success.

• Demonstrate the ability to build trust, align stakeholders, and inspire others around a shared vision for education.

• Provide evidence of district-wide or system-level impact that extends beyond a single school or individual program.