National Rehabilitation Association 2013 Achievement Awards

 

HOW TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION PACKET:

Dear NRA members:

Please note that the 2013 Call for Award Nominations deadline date has been extended to (postmarked) May 15, 2013.  Below is the 2013 NRA Call for Award Nominations form.

Two copies of the completed nomination packet must be postmarked by May 15, 2013 and sent to NRA/NRA Awards, P. O. Box 150235, Alexandria, VA 22315

If you should have questions, please contact Eleanor Williams at [email protected].

Thank you.

1.   Read criteria for awards and choose person/organization to nominate.

2.   Gather written information (making sure that it speaks to and is reflective of the NRA award) to substantiate criteria (letters of support, copies of work, newspaper clippings, etc.). Only nominees meeting all the stated criteria will be considered — remember, the Awards Committee will base their decisions on your written nominations packet so be thorough (we’d like to know your nominee as well as you do, however, we don’t — so help your nominee win by providing thorough information).

3.   Complete all lines on the Nomination Form (except for the signature of department representative and author for Graduate Literary Award submissions). Please type.

4.   Attach all information requested to the Nomination Form.

5.   Make a copy of complete packet (Nomination Form and all attachments) for yourself. Send two complete packets (Nomination Form and all attachments) to NRA with a postmark no later than May 15, 2013.

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR NOMINATION PACKET?

• NRA receives and electronically forwards all packets postmarked on or before May 15, 2013 to the NRA Awards Committee Chairperson (if your packet is postmarked May 16, 2013 or after, it will not be entered in the awards process and will not be returned).

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• The Awards Chair evaluates each packet for complete information (as per instructions above). Nominators with incomplete packets will receive a fax indicating what’s missing. The Awards Chair needs to receive the rest of the information by one week from the date of the fax in order for the nomination packet to be considered.

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• The Awards Chair electronically sends a copy of all complete nomination packets in an award category along with a score sheet to the Committee members who review all submissions to determine recommendation of award winner based on award criteria.

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• The Awards Chair arranges a conference call for the Committee members to discuss the nominations and then select the award winners.

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• The Awards Committee submits the award winners with criteria for winning to the NRA Board and staff seven weeks before the presentation of the awards at the NRA Annual Training Conference, August 18-20, 2013 in New York City, New York.

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• As the nominator, you will be notified by telephone by the Awards Chair about the status of the nomination six weeks before the presentation. You will also receive a confirmation letter. If your nominee wins, you’ll call them to congratulate them. We hope you will be able to attend the presentation ceremony because you worked hard and deserve recognition!

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• National Rehabilitation Association 2013 Outstanding

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• Achievement Awards 

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• The National Rehabilitation Association national awards recognize and honor people and organizations that have created opportunities for people with disabilities.  NRA members, chapters, regions and divisions are encouraged to make nominations for nine awards.  Read the criteria below and determine which person or organization you’ll nominate!  Make sure that your nomination packet speaks to and is reflective of the NRA award.

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• Also, it is imperative that two copies of your completed nomination packets arrive at the NRA office postmarked no later than May 15, 2013.  Think about candidates whose contributions are of a national scope, or whose contributions could have a national impact as they’ll be given priority.

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E. B Whitten Silver Medallion Award

• The E. B. Whitten Silver Medallion Award was established in 1974 in honor of the Association’s first Executive Director. The award is presented to an individual who has exercised notable leadership in removing environmental and legal barriers and in helping to overcome discrimination of persons with disabilities.
• Criteria:  Contribution may be national or local but must have been of such stature to influence action on a regional or national basis.  Contributed to the purpose of NRA-enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.  Exercised notable leadership: (a) in removing environmental and legal barriers; and (b) in overcoming discrimination which keeps people with disabilities from living normal lives and enjoying the rights and benefits due every American citizen.

NRA Max T. Prince Meritorious Service Award

• The NRA Meritorious Service Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated years of faithful service and leadership to NRA. It is given to a member who has provided outstanding membership effort and leadership for a period of 10 to 15 years, or a member who has demonstrated leadership in chapter, division, and/or national committees for a similar period.
• Criteria:  Shows outstanding service or leadership in length of service, level of service and quality of NRA.  Services need not be national but must be substantial in number.  Sustained membership in NRA.

  

NRA Organizational Award 

• The NRA Organizational Award is presented to an organization with an outstanding record of service to persons with disabilities. The organization may be one whose principal objectives lie within the field of rehabilitation, or which has demonstrated effective concern for the care, treatment, education r rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
• Criteria:  Contribution to well-being or rehabilitation of people with disabilities beyond purpose for which organization was established.  Past or present program.

 

W. F. Faulkes Award

• The W. F. Faulkes Award is presented for technical or professional achievement in the field of rehabilitation. It is awarded to a person or organization which in the preceding years has made a contribution of national importance to the increase of knowledge in the field of rehabilitation, or of the development of techniques or methods in the application of such knowledge, or to the prevention of disability. It was established in 1954 in the name of the Association’s founder and first president.
• Criteria:  Contribution of national importance.  Increase of knowledge in rehabilitation or development of technique in application of the knowledge or prevention of disabilities.

 

Bell Greve Memorial Award 

• The Bell Greve Memorial Award is presented to a person who has shown unusual initiative or creativity in developing and/or administering a service program for people  with disabilities.  The award is named for Bell Greve, founder of the Cleveland Rehabilitation Center.
• Criteria:  Developed and/or administered a service program that demonstrated value to people with a disability.  Service increased public awareness of issues of people with disabilities.

 

Excellence in Media Award 

• The Excellence in Media Award is presented to an individual or organization whose media production has made a noticeable contribution towards the accurate and progressive portrayal of people with disabilities.  It is presented in recognition of outstanding effort in any medium, including print, radio, television, film, and advertising.
• Criteria:  Portrays people with disabilities and their life experiences in a realistic and positive way.  Material should appeal to the general public and not merely to a professional or specialized audience.  Progressive language and imagery should be used.
• Portrayal should exist within the context of more encompassing and significant subject matter.  Portrayal should contain informative, and not solely promotional content.

 

Graduate Literary Award 

• The Graduate Literary Award is presented annually in recognition of exceptional academic achievement by rehabilitation students at the graduate level.
• Criteria:  Writer must be enrolled in college/university program preparing to work professionally with people with disabilities.  Manuscript of outstanding written quality including spelling, grammar, paragraph/sentence structure, clearly stated purpose and organization of thought.  Topic on any aspect of rehabilitation, double spaced on plain 8 1/2 by 11 paper not previously published.  A copy of the manuscript must be submitted on a computer disk.  NRA publishes winning entries in the Journal of Rehabilitation and reserves the right for one year to publish any paper entered.

 

 Yvonne Johnson National Leadership Award

• Presented annually to an individual who is highly committed to issues concerning people with disabilities and to the professionals who serve them. This award was established in 2001 to honor an NRA Past President, a very special person who will always be remembered.
• Criteria:  Nominees may come from local state, regional or national chapters or divisions.  The nominee should demonstrate a leadership style that is creative and inspiring. This person should encourage thinking that is “outside the box.”
• The leadership style exhibited by the nominee should include a high priority on mentoring.  This nominee’s involvement in the Association should be reflective of a high commitment to issues concerning people with disabilities and to the professionals who serve them.  Examples representative of the specific criteria should be included with the nomination.

 

 Sylvia Walker National Multicultural Award

• The Sylvia Walker Award is named after a professor, researcher and director of the first federal Research and Training Center (RTC) focused on minority issues and disability, who served as a long time advocate for multicultural issues in rehabilitation. Established in 2004, the award is intended to (a) honor/recognize a NRA member/group or organization in addressing multicultural issues at the local regional or national level and (b) maintain and stimulate the Association’s (NRA) focus on diversity and multiculturalism as a part of society.
• Criteria and Examples:  Nominees may come from local, state, regional or national chapters or divisions.  Nominee demonstrates a leadership role in advancing multicultural issues within their sphere of influence.  Nomination information should include examples of how nominee addresses multicultural issues and their effects (i.e., benefits) on service planning and/or delivery.  Information should explain how these actions relate to areas of interest and enhance the profession and/or organization.

 

NRA Chapter of the Year Award

• Outstanding achievement in the effort to advance the mission of the National Rehabilitation Association at the chapter level.

• Criteria:  A state chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association, in good standing.  Demonstrated exemplary activities in professional training; public awareness, consumer advocacy and membership growth.  A chapter that has consistently been viewed as innovative, creative and willing to respond to the changing needs of membership.

Make sure two copies of your completed nomination packets arrive at the NRA office postmarked no later than May 15, 2013.

2013 Awards Nomination Form 

Must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2013, and sent to:

NRA/NRA Awards

P. O. Box 150235

Alexandria, VA 22315

Award Nominated For:

Name of Nominee:

Address of Nominee:

Phone & Fax of Nominee:

Name of Nominator:

Address of Nominator:

Phone & Fax of Nominator:

Date Nomination Package Submitted:

(If submitting Graduate Literary Award skip to bottom of the form)

Why should this individual or organization receive this award (follow the criteria stated for this award):

Submit attachments to substantiate reasons above.

Excellence in Media Award – submit copy of presentation on which nomination is based.

Graduate Literary Award Only — Submit copy of manuscript as per criteria.  Signature of university department representative and author of manuscript verifying that all criteria have been met.

University Dept. Rep  _____________________­ Author  _________________________

If you should have questions, please contact Eleanor Williams at [email protected].