Honorary Service Awards

The unit HSA chairman, with a committee appointed by the president, shall

• Study the various types of awards, the donation amounts and the criteria for selecting honorees for specific awards.
• Publicize to the membership that the HSA selection committee will be meeting and ask for suggestions for honorees. (A flier may be distributed requesting names and information.)
• Meet for the specific purpose of selecting honorees. All proceedings must be kept confidential. Budget allocations must be observed.
• Order specific awards using the order forms in the California State PTA Toolkit. Pins may be ordered at the same time. (Allow up to two weeks for delivery.)
• Arrange for presentation of awards at a meeting as determined by the executive board and the program committee (e.g., at a Founders Day program meeting or end-of-the-year luncheon).
• Devise an innovative way to present the award(s) using a poem, skit or other unique way to praise the honorees’ accomplishments. Be sure to mention that the donation made to the California State PTA Scholarship and Grant Program in each honoree’s name assists in the education of other individuals.
• Arrange for families and friends of honorees to attend the presentation.
• Give a copy of the biographical presentation to the honoree. Assign a committee member to take pictures for the honorees. Retain copies of the pictures, programs and biographies.
• Obtain Media Release Statement signature of recipient to forward biography and photos taken at the award event to California State PTA.

     “By accepting this award and submitting biography and photograph(s) of the awards event to California State PTA, you hereby grant and assign California State PTA and its legal representatives the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish for editorial, trade, advertising or any other purpose and in any manner and medium, including website and Internet promotion, all photographic, video, and digital images of you and your guests taken while in attendance at the awards event. You hereby release California State PTA and its legal representatives from all claims and liability relating to said photographs, video and digital images.”

• Write a summary of the event and place it in the chairman’s procedure book.
• Maintain accurate records of all awards in a permanent file.

The committee should be:

• Appointed early in the officer’s term to allow time for planning and ordering awards.
• Composed of different members each year.
• Representative of the school’s community.
• Composed of an uneven number (five is suggested).

The applicants being considered should be recognized for outstanding service to children and youth, and not necessarily for routine, assigned responsibilities or for retirement.

It is recommended that you avoid establishing a pattern such as always presenting an award to the outgoing president or retiring faculty members.

Remember to consider those who work behind the scenes, quietly and efficiently serving youth.

The Very Special Person (VSP) Award may be given to individuals or PTA constituent organizations to recognize having contributed to the school community in a special way. This award is available by a contribution of $25.00 or more. A VSP pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

An Honorary Service Award (HSA) may be given to an individual or organization in special recognition of outstanding service to children and youth. This award is available by a contribution of $40.00 in the name of the recipient. An HSA pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

A Continuing Honorary Service Award (CHSA) may be given to an individual or organization in special recognition of continued service to children and youth. The recipient may or may not have received a California State PTA Honorary Service Award. This award is available by a contribution of $45.00 in the name of the recipient. A CHSA pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

The Golden Oak Service Award is the most prestigious PTA award in California. This award may be given to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the welfare of children and youth in the school or community. This award is available by a contribution of $85.00 in the name of the recipient. A Golden Oak Service pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

The Outstanding Teacher Award may be given to a teacher in special recognition for outstanding service in positively impacting the lives and welfare of children and youth in the PTA, school, or community. This award is available by a contribution of $40.00 in the name of the recipient. An Outstanding Teacher Award pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

The Outstanding Administrator Award may be given to an administrator in special recognition for outstanding service in positively impacting the lives and welfare of children and youth in the PTA, school, or community. This award is available by a contribution of $40.00 in the name of the recipient. An Outstanding Administrator Award pin (tack back) is also included (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

This award may be given to recognize an elected official for outstanding policy work and/or legislation that positively impacts the lives of children. This award may be given at the local, state or federal level. This award is not to be used as an endorsement of any elected official, but to celebrate the work of the elected official. An award certificate and pin (tack back) is available with a contribution of $40.00 by a PTA unit, council or district in the name of the recipient. Best practice in awarding elected officials is to award 60 days or more before their name would appear on a ballot. There is not a set number of days required legally, but the further you can get from the active campaign period the better. At least 30 days is a strong recommendation. (Honorary Service Award Order Form).

Donations may be given by PTAs/PTSAs or by individuals in tribute to a person, a group or in memoriam. The donation may be made in any amount. An acknowledgment card or certificate, as requested, will be sent when a donation of $10.00 or more is made. Anyone or any group may donate to the HSA program fund; the fund is not limited to contributions by PTAs (In Memoriam or Tribute Donation Form).