Awards | ASHA

The American School Health Association annually honors leaders in school health. Recipients are recognized for outstanding accomplishments in school health or for service to ASHA and their profession. Please see the descriptions below for each on the awards categories.

ASHA 2017 Awards nominations are now being accepted through May 3, 2017. Award recipients will be honored during ASHA’s 2017 Annual School Health Conference, October 11-13 in St. Louis, Missouri.

William A. Howe Award
Distinguished Service Award
Outstanding School Health Researcher Award
School Health Educator of the Year Award
Legislator of the Year Award
Dr. Robert Synovitz Emerging Professional Award
ASHA Fellow Award

William A. Howe Award

The William A. Howe Award, ASHA’s highest honor, recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions and distinguished service in school health. It was established to honor William A. Howe, MD, a founder and first president of the association. This award acknowledges the recipient’s outstanding professional contributions paralleling the aims and objectives of the Association.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past Howe Award Recipients

Distinguished Service Award

Distinguished Service Award is granted to an active or retired member of the American School Health Association (ASHA) who has attained Fellow Status. The award is based on evidence of long-term service to the field of the school health as well as substantive and consistent service to ASHA.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past Distinguished Service Award Recipients

Outstanding School Health Researcher Award

The purpose of Outstanding School Health Researcher Award is to recognize an ASHA member who has demonstrated sustained and outstanding contributions to school health research.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past Outstanding School Health Researcher Award Recipients

School Health Educator of the Year Award

The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual who has demonstrated outstanding contribution to school health education in the K-12 setting. Classroom teachers or educators involved in a K-12 health education settings are strongly encouraged to apply.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past School Health Educator of the Year Award Recipients

Legislator of the Year Award

Presented by ASHA’s Advocacy Committee, the Legislator of the Year Award recognizes a state or federal legislator who has a record of supporting issues related to school health and/or take an important stand on school health issues during a particular legislative session.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past Legislator Award Recipients

Dr. Robert Synovitz Emerging Professional Award

The Dr. Robert Synovitz Emerging Professional Award acknowledges new professionals as promising future leaders in the field of school health. The Emerging Professional Award shall be granted to two individuals (one individual in a school health practitioner setting and the other in an academia setting) who positively impact youth within the K-12 school setting. Award winners will be recognized at the annual ASHA conference and have the option to be admitted to ASHA’s Future Leaders Academy (FLA).
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past Emerging Professional Award Recipients

ASHA Fellow Award

Advancement to Fellowship Status is granted to individuals who are currently active members of ASHA and who have been an active member of the American School Health Association for at least ten years. It is based on evidence of leadership and service to the American School Health Association and to the field of school health.
Criteria and Nomination Requirements
Past ASHA Fellow Award Recipients