Rising Star Award

Springfield Area Educational Foundation (SAEF)
 Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award Summary & Nomination Form 

 

PURPOSE

  1. To identify, recognize, and publicize high achieving Springfield School District (SHS) young alumni, no older than 40 years of age, with the goal of strongly affiliating them with the Springfield Area Educational Foundation, SHS alumni, the Springfield School District and the community.
  2. To stimulate greater activity and identity between prominent young SHS alumni with Springfield students, faculty, administrators, SAEF and the community of Springfield.
  3. To add a dimension to the SHS academic curriculum not otherwise available in the traditional high school classroom through contact (a SHS on-site visit or Zoom meeting) among young students, faculty, and Springfield administrators and staff. The purpose of the award recipient’s visit/Zoom meeting is to lend the benefit of the Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award recipient’s knowledge, experience, and insight to Springfield education and to stimulate thought, discussion, and action in the process.
  4. To provide an additional means of recognizing SHS alumni at an earlier age.
  5. To demonstrate, particularly to students, the Springfield alumni can succeed in exceptional fashion at an early age; and it does not take a lifetime to make one’s mark on society.
  6. To position the Springfield Area Educational Foundation (SAEF) in the public eye as an organization devoted to serving alumni of all ages, not just alumni of maturity.

THE PROGRAM 

The SAEF Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award is a continuing annual project financed by the Springfield Area Educational Association and if secured and approved, a signature sponsor.  The board of directors has specified the award as a lifelong, permanent designation.  (Note: This designation may be revoked by the SAEF board of directors if recipient’s reputation has been tarnished and may reflect poorly on the foundation’s mission.)  The program is intended to complement the Arts, Academics and Achievers’ (3A’s) Hall of Fame programs, and in no way would preclude recipients from being nominated for the two other programs.

The SAEF Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award is designed to enable the recipients – alumni under the age of 40 of extraordinary professional accomplishment – to return to Springfield High School to lend their insight and experience through informal discussions (Zoom call) and interactions. The purpose of their presence is to lend their knowledge and experience to specific SHS academic classes and stimulate discussion and action in the process.

The awardee is honored with a plaque presentation and publicized and announced to the public via foundation press release to local media outlets as well as the foundation’s website/kiosk and social media, LinkedIn accounts.

Nomination solicitation process is announced each fall with an award recipient announced each spring. Nominations should be made (if possible) without the nominee’s awareness or approval, if possible. Materials should be submitted to the SAEF Development Office: (Lisa Smith) SHS Administrative Offices, 200 South Rolling Road, Springfield, PA 19064 by March 15 of each year. Each submission should include:

  1. Completed nomination form
  2. Supporting letter/statement from the nominator
  3. Current resume/CV for the candidate (if available)

The SAEF Board of Directors’ Rising Star Achievement Award committee will review all nominations prior to their spring monthly board meeting. The SAEF board of directors will select a finalist at their spring monthly board meeting and submit that finalist to the SHS Superintendent for approval.

PROCEDURES 

  1. The nomination form and award summary will be circulated via communication outlets to alumni/public in late fall for nomination solicitation. The Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award committee will assume responsibility for vetting the nominations to be forwarded to the board for final selection of one honoree.
  2. The director of development/SHS alumni relations will act as the overall coordinator for the award procedures and visit, if arranged and approved by the SSD Superintendent. – Contact: Lisa Smith/610-98-6034.  This program will be presented and offered for sponsorship opportunities and publicity, as approved by the SAEF board of directors.