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LAE Nomination Form: Human and Civil Rights Trailblazer Award

Use this online form at the bottom of the page to submit your nomination.

Purpose: To recognize individuals, groups, or organizations that have broadened the horizon for minorities and women through one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Displays creativity, determination, perseverance, and/or extraordinary courage in achieving human and civil rights
  2. Contributes to the achievement of self-determination by women and minorities
  3. Initiates or engages in activities that positively impact the educational, social, economic, or political life of women and minorities
  4. Promotes public policy designed to eliminate gender and racial stereotyping in education and in other sectors of the economy
  5. Establishes an ongoing program or institution for the improvement of human relations and civil rights

Criteria: Nominations are judged according to the following four criteria: 

  1. Nomination Form
  2. Letter of Nomination
  3. Narrative
  4. Documentation

Based on the packet of information submitted, members of the LAE Selection Committee will rate nominees on a scale of 1 to 5 for each criterion, where ‘1’ represents “minimal” evidence of the criterion, and ‘5’ represents “very strong” evidence of the criterion.

Nominations that do not conform to ALL deadlines and ALL format specifications will be disqualified.

Assembly of Nomination Packet: Nomination packages must include all of the materials listed below, in the specified order.

SUBMISSION

All applications MUST be submitted electronically in a single Word document except for the five (5) pieces of supporting documentation which should be scanned into a PDF file. 

Deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025

Notification: LAE will notify the winner by March 7, 2025

REQUIREMENTS

Submission of an electronic portfolio including ONLY the following:

1) Nomination form

One-page maximum. The form must be typed (handwritten information is NOT allowed).

2) Letter of Nomination

Explain how the nominee has blazed a trail locally, statewide, or nationally in one or more of the following criteria:

  • Displays creativity, determination, perseverance, and/or extraordinary courage in achieving human and civil rights
  • Contributes to the achievement of self-determination by women and minorities
  • Initiates or engages in activities that positively impact the educational, social, economic, or political life of women and minorities
  • Promotes public policy designed to eliminate gender and racial stereotyping in education and in other sectors of the economy
  • Establishes an ongoing program or institution for the improvement of human relations and civil rights

3) Narrative 

A narrative of no more than 2000 words using the following format:

3A) Paragraph 1 stating specifically and concisely what the nominee has accomplished to warrant consideration for the LAE Trailblazer Award.

3B) Succeeding paragraphs providing background information supporting the nomination statement.  In addition, include how the nominee has inspired others to volunteerism etc.  List any honors or awards received and community involvement.

4) Documentation

Please provide documentation verifying activities included in the narrative.  Supporting documentation should not be repetitious.  Please do not send originals because the documentation received will not be returned.

What award are you nominating for?
Purpose:  To recognize an individual whose leadership and actions have advanced public education, the image of teachers, and the association.
Purpose: To recognize individuals, groups, or organizations that have broadened the horizon for minorities and women through one or more of the following criteria:
  • Displays creativity, determination, perseverance, and/or extraordinary courage in achieving human and civil rights.
  • Contributes to the achievement of self-determination by women and minorities
  • Initiates or engages in activities that positively impact the educational, social, economic, or political life of women and minorities
  • Promotes public policy designed to eliminate gender and racial stereotyping in education and in other sectors of the economy
  • Establishes an ongoing program or institution for the improvement of human relations and civil rights
Purpose:  To recognize an individual whose leadership and actions have advanced public education, the image of Education Support Professionals, and the Association.
Purpose: To recognize an individual or group whose leadership, acts, and support have had an impact in the improvement of public education, the education profession, or in the lives of children in Louisiana.
Purpose:  To recognize an individual whose leadership and actions have advanced public education, the image of administrators, and the Association.
Purpose:  To recognize an individual whose leadership and actions have advanced public education, the image of ancillary personnel, and the Association. 
Nominee's Information:
Nominator's Information:
NOMINATION LETTER
The nomination letter from the state, federal, or direct affiliate president explains why the awardee deserves a national award. Alternatively, a local president can write the official nomination letter outlining the awardee’s qualifications and the state president can attach an additional page with on sentence certifying the nomination.
 
NOMINATION LETTER: 
Nomination letter must address each of the five criteria. Please set off each area with the criteria heading to aid the LAE Selection Committee.
  • Professional Practice: (Include worksite responsibilities and professional achievements the nominee has made in his/her field; include examples of leadership, creativity and innovation in making a difference for students and the school or workplace.)
  • Member Advocacy and Association Involvement: (include evidence of leadership, creativity and innovation in advocating for members, for the profession and for public education; include how the nominee’s involvement in NEA or its affiliates contribute to professional success; evidence that the nominee is active in member recruitment and encouraging colleagues to be more involved members.)
  • Community Engagement: (include details on how the nominee is involved in promoting public education within the community through charitable projects and activities and examples of how that involvement has benefited students, families and members.)
  • Personal Achievement: (include a description of the nominee’s personal and/or professional goals; what they have done or are doing to meet these goals; how his/her growth and goals benefit students, members and/or the community; what advice they would give to a colleague entering the profession.)
  • Enhancement of ESP Image: (include details of how the nominee’s activities have enhanced the image of Educational Support Professionals at the worksite, in the Association and in the community.)

 
Letter of Nomination: 
Explain how the nominee has blazed a trail locally, statewide, or nationally in one or more of the following criteria
  • Displays creativity, determination, perseverance, and/or extraordinary courage in achieving human and civil rights
  • Contributes to the achievement of self-determination by women and minorities
  • Initiates or engages in activities that positively impact the educational, social, economic, or political life of women and minorities
  • Promotes public policy designed to eliminate gender and racial stereotyping in education and in other sectors of the economy
  • Establishes an ongoing program or institution for the improvement of human relations and civil rights

 
Letter of Nomination: 
A letter from the president of the local LAE affiliate
 
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: txt, rtf, pdf, doc, docx, odt, ppt, pptx, odp, xls, xlsx, ods.
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: txt, rtf, pdf, doc, docx, odt, ppt, pptx, odp, xls, xlsx, ods.
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Awardee's Statement:

The awardee’s statement must be written by the awardee, as a first-person narrative.  The statement includes specific examples to illustrate all five of the award criteria.  The questions below do not need to be copied verbatim in the text.  However, awardees are strongly encouraged to include headings or keywords related to the criteria to aid the panelists in their reading.

a)   What are the most successful innovations that you have introduced in your classroom or school?  What strategies or methods do you use to ensure that all students achieve at a high level?  How do you act as an instructional leader?

b)   How has your involvement in the Louisiana Association of Educators and the National Education Association contributed to your success as an educator?  How would you persuade a new colleague to join or become more active in the association?  In what other ways do you serve as an advocate for the profession and for public education?

c)  What community resources do you bring to the classroom to enhance your lessons and student achievement?  What service learning projects have you conducted with your students to benefit the community?

d)   What experiences or activities have been most beneficial to your professional knowledge, skills, and practice?  How have you contributed to the professional development of your colleagues?  How has your professional growth made a difference for your school or university, your students, and your community?  Include examples.

e)   How do you address issues of diversity in your curriculum and instruction and in other interactions with students?  What is the result of such efforts?  How does your approach to diversity affect your work?

f)   If you have not already done so, tell a story about how your approach to teaching made a difference for a student or a group of students.

g)   What advice would you give to someone entering the profession on how to attain teaching excellence?
NOMINEE STATEMENT:
Give specific examples of   achievement in each of the five criteria areas:
  • Professional Practice
  • Member Advocacy and Association Involvement
  • Community Engagement
  • Personal Achievement
  • Enhancement of ESP image
Nominee Statement: 
  1. What has the nominee done to enhance his/her profession?  (Consider such things as the development of new techniques/strategies, certification, training/educational background, providing training, holding office, serving on committees within the Association or within the employing system, other.)
  2. What honors and/or awards have been earned by the nominee?
  3. In which community activities has the nominee participated?
  4. In which Association activities has the nominee participated?
Nominee Statement: 
  1. What has the nominee done to enhance his/her profession?  (Consider such things as development of new techniques/strategies, certification, training/educational background, providing training, holding office, service on committees within the Association or within the employing system, other.)
  2. What honors and/or awards have been earned by the nominee?
  3. In which community activities has the nominee participated?
  4. In which Association activities has the nominee participated?
Narrative: 
A narrative of no more than 1000 words addressing the following topics
  1. Paragraph 1 describing the nominee’s major job responsibilities and how the nominee’s work impacts the education process
  2. Paragraph 2 describing the nominee’s involvement in the promotion of public education in the community
  3. Paragraph 3 describing the nominee’s involvement in activities that have enhanced the image of ancillary personnel and the profession
  4. Paragraph 4 respond to the following: What, in your opinion, is the vital role of ancillary personnel in promoting and strengthening public education?
Narrative: 
A narrative of no more than 1000 words addressing the following topics
  1. Paragraph 1 describing the nominee’s major job responsibilities and how the nominee’s work impacts the education process
  2. Paragraph 2 describing the nominee’s involvement in the promotion of public education in the community
  3. Paragraph 3 describing the nominee’s involvement in activities that have enhanced the image of administrators and the profession
  4. Paragraph 4 respond to the following: What, in your opinion, is the vital role of administrators in promoting and strengthening public education?
Narrative: 
A narrative of no more than 2000 words using the following format:
  • Paragraph 1 stating specifically and concisely what the nominee has accomplished to warrant consideration for the LAE Trailblazer Award.
  • Succeeding paragraphs providing background information supporting the nomination statement.  In addition, include how the nominee has inspired others to volunteerism etc.  List any honors or awards received and community involvement.
Narrative of Achievement: 
A narrative of no more than 2000 words.

Paragraph 1 should state, specifically and concisely, what the nominee has done to improve public education, the education profession, or the lives of children. Succeeding paragraphs must provide the following:
  • Background information supporting the nomination statement
  • How the nominee has inspired others to volunteer
  • List any honors or awards received by the nominee
  • Describe the nominee’s community involvement
Maximum 3 files.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Letters of endorsement are written by the awardee’s local affiliate president, colleagues, current or former students, parents, or community members.  Letters should be signed, and the salutation should be addressed to the Louisiana Association of Educators’ Executive Committee or the national panel for The NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Maximum 10 files.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
Please provide documentation verifying activities included in the narrative.  Supporting documentation should not be repetitious.  Please do not send originals because the documentation received will not be returned.
Maximum 10 files.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.
At least five (5) pieces of documentation supporting the achievement of the nominee:  i.e. certificates of achievement, newspaper articles, photo documentation, magazine articles, etc.
One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png.
1)  The above-named person consents to the unlimited use by LAE and the NEA Foundation and/or the National Education Association (NEA) of his/her image in any form, including but not limited to, digital media, film, audio recording, or still photography, in connection with any LAE and/or NEA publicity or communications effort.  These efforts may include, among other things, publications, videos, and websites.

2)  The above-named person agrees that the LAE and the NEA Foundation and/or NEA may have unlimited use of any program information or text from communications that he/she submits to either of them, in connection with any LAE, the NEA Foundation and/or NEA publicity or communications efforts, as described above.

3)  The LAE and the NEA Foundation and/or NEA shall be under no obligation to actually use the above-mentioned person in any way.

4)  The above-named person further agrees that neither the LAE and the NEA Foundation nor the NEA will compensate him/her in money or otherwise for the consents granted above.
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LAE’s mission is to organize and empower educators to promote quality public schools, strengthen the profession, and improve the well-being of public school children across Louisiana.
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