Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-04-19 10:35:00-04:00
AARP is pleased to announce the creation of The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards. A $100,000 prize will be given to a public high school (grades 8 - 12) in cities that have been selected as focal points for AARP's 50th Anniversary celebration. The cities are Chicago, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
There is also the Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award for Innovation, a $10,000 prize that will be awarded to one public secondary school (grades 8 - 12) in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands in recognition of an innovative program or practice currently operating in a school. Learn more about this $10,000 prize.
The $100,000 prize will be awarded to a school in each of these cities in recognition of a public high school program that has either fostered greater intergenerational understanding or enhanced civic engagement between the school and its local community. To learn more about the life of Ethel Percy Andrus, download a short biography of this woman's remarkable life (47K in PDF format, free Adobe Reader required).
More About the Award
The Prize
Who May Apply
Entry Criteria
How to Apply
Frequently Asked Questions
More About the Award
The award was created to recognize AARP's founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a true pioneer in public school education. Prior to founding AARP, Dr. Andrus achieved broad recognition as a creative and forward thinking public high school educator in the state of California. Dr. Andrus was the first woman appointed to lead a public secondary high school in California and in that position developed and implemented a variety of innovative programs that served the interest of her students and the local community. It is in recognition of her achievements that we offer the Legacy Awards as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration.
We invite all public secondary school principals in the celebration cities to submit descriptions of their programs that they feel meet our criteria. All entries will be reviewed by a national blue ribbon panel comprised of educators and civic leaders.
All entries are due by November 1, 2007. Presentations will be made to the winners in 2008. If you have any questions, please call our AARP toll-free number at 1-866-213-9669, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
The Prize
The winning public high schools will be awarded $100,000 for continued support of their program that addresses the challenge of connecting generations, or fostering greater civic engagement among their students and their community.
Who May Apply
The competition is open to any public high school located in the following cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. One public high school entry from each city will be eligible to receive the $100,000 award.
Entry Criteria
- Any program started in the 2005-2006 school year or any prior school year is eligible for the grant.
- Entries must be received by November 1, 2007.
- All entries must be submitted by a public high school principal or their designee who is currently overseeing the program. The principal need not have been the one to introduce the program. This award is to go to the school.
- Only typed applications will be accepted.
- Program description must be kept to five pages or less.
- The contents of the application form should contain background regarding the school, including its size and a brief history. Description of the program should include awards or other public recognition earned by the program.
- The program must have the support of the central office of the school system.
- At least two third party validators must be submitted to attest to the value of this program. Third party validators must be familiar with the program and are not members of the school system.
How to Apply
Applications may be submitted via email to legacyaward@aarp.org, or via regular mail to: AARP c/o The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards, 601 E. Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20049. All entries must include:
Nominee Contact Information:
- Name of Principal
- Name of High School
- School Address
- Principal's Email
- Principal's Phone
Description of High School: In 200 words or less, provide a description including the size of the school and background information.
Program Title:
Launch Date of Program: Any program started in the 2005-2006 school year or any prior school year is eligible for the grant.
Program Description: Clearly describe how the program offers an innovative opportunity for intergenerational or civic engagement activities. Newspaper articles, letters of commendation and other supporting materials may be introduced along with the formal application. Be sure to include other awards or public recognition the program has received.
Program Impact: 200 words or less.
Third Party Validation: Please supply letters from at least two, third party evaluators who can speak to the effectiveness and impact of the program.
All entries should be no more than five typewritten pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the AARP Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards?
The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards are a one-time cash award to coincide with AARP's 50th anniversary. The awards will be given to one public high school (grades 8 - 12) in each of our celebration cities that are focal points of AARP's 50th Anniversary celebration. The cities are Chicago, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. The $100,000 prize will be awarded to a public high school in each of these cities in recognition of a program that has either fostered greater intergenerational understanding or enhanced civic engagement with its local community.
The award was created to recognize AARP's founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a true pioneer in public school education. Prior to founding AARP, Dr. Andrus achieved broad recognition as a creative and innovative public high school educator in the state of California. Dr. Andrus was the first woman appointed to lead a public secondary high school in California where she developed and implemented a variety of innovative programs that served the interest of both the students and the community. It is in honor of her achievements that we offer the Legacy Award as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration.
What criteria is AARP using to judge programs?
- Any program started in the 2005-2006 school year or any prior school year is eligible for the grant.
- Entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. EST on November 1, 2007.
- All entries must be submitted by a public high school principal or their designee who is currently overseeing the program. The principal need not have been the one to introduce the program. This award is to go to the school.
- Only typed applications will be accepted.
- Program description must be kept to five pages or less.
- The contents of the entry should contain background regarding the school, including its size and a brief history. A description of the program should include mention of awards or other public recognition earned by the program.
- The program must have the support of the central office of the school system.
- Letters from at least two third party validators must be submitted to attest to the value of this program. Third party validators must be familiar with the program and not be members of the school system.
- Entries may be submitted by email to legacyaward@aarp.org , or regular mail to: AARP c/o The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards, 601 E. Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20049.
The entire review process, from the submission to the notification of acceptance, will take several months. In general, the decision-making process follows these steps:
- All applications will be judged by a national blue ribbon panel of well known educators and civic leaders.
- If needed, applicants will be contacted for further clarification or detail during the due diligence process prior to the blue ribbon panel meeting.
How long does the program need to be in existence to qualify?
Any program started in the 2005-2006 school year or any prior school year is eligible for the grant.
How will I be notified about the status of my grant application?
Applicants will be notified by email when their entries are received and will be notified again by either email or letter as to whether their entry was selected for the prize.
How do I apply and where do I send my entry?
Applications for this award can be obtained by going to the AARP website www.aarp.org/legacyaward. Please forward your entry via email to legacyaward@aarp.org, or regular mail to: AARP c/o The Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Awards, 601 E. Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20049.
Is the AARP Ethel Percy Andrus Legacy Award a renewable grant?
No, this is a one time award in commemoration of our 50th Anniversary.
What if my program is just getting started?
In order for a program to be considered, it must have a track record and have been launched in the 2005-2006 school year or any prior school year.
What if I have any additional questions?
Please feel free to contact:
- Marty Davis, Director, AARP Special Campaigns and Promotions, at (202) 434-2599, or via email at mjdavis@aarp.org
- Megan Hookey, National Coordinator, NRTA: AARP's Educator Community, at (202) 434-2385, or via email at mhookey@aarp.org
- Gracia Rubio, AARP Project Manager, at (202) 434-6373, or via email at grubio@aarp.org
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