AASL has announced the recipients of its 2015 awards. AASL awards and grants recognize excellence and showcase best practices in the school library field in categories that include collaboration, leadership and innovation. Recipients of this prestigious program are celebrated for their outstanding talent and dedication to the profession.

• National School Library Program of the Year
  Awarded to: Blue Valley High School, Stilwell, Kansas
  Sponsored by Follett, the award annually recognizes a school library program that meets the needs of the changing school and library environment and is fully integrated into the school’s curriculum. Winners receive a crystal obelisk and $10,000.
• ABC-CLIO Leadership Grant
  Awarded to: Advocacy for School Libraries Special Interest Group, New Mexico Library Association
  Sponsored by ABC-CLIO, the grant awards up to $1,750 to school library associations that are AASL affiliates for planning and implementing leadership programs at the state, regional or local levels.
• Collaborative School Library Award
  Awarded to: Stephanie Meurer and Jennifer Milstead, school librarians, and  Erin Kelley, language arts teacher, Sierra Middle School, Parker, Colorado
  Sponsored by Upstart, the $2,500 award recognizes and encourages collaboration and partnerships between school librarians and teachers in meeting goals outlined in AASL’s program guidelines through joint planning of a program, unit or event in support of the curriculum and using school library resources.
• Distinguished Service Award
  Awarded to: Ann M. Martin, Educational Specialist (Retired), Henrico County Schools, Virginia
  Sponsored by Baker & Taylor, the $3,000 award recognizes an individual member of the library profession who has, over a significant period of time, made an outstanding national contribution to school librarianship and school library development.
• Distinguished School Administrator Award
  Awarded to: Lenny Santamaria, Myra S. Barnes I.S. 24 Principal, Staten Island, New York
  Sponsored by ProQuest, the $2,000 award is presented to a school administrator who has made worthy contributions to the operations of an exemplary school library and to advancing the role of the school library in the educational program.
• Frances Henne Award
  Awarded to: Diana Rendina, Stewart Middle Magnet School, Tampa, Florida
  Sponsored by ABC-CLIO, the $1,250 award enables a school librarian with five or fewer years in the field to attend an ALA Annual Conference or AASL National Conference for the first time.
• Information Technology Pathfinder Award
  Awarded to: Carolyn Kirio, Kapolei Middle School, Hawaii
  Sponsored by Follett, the award recognizes and honors a school librarian who demonstrates vision and leadership through the use of information technology to build lifelong learners. $1,000 goes to the school librarian, and $500 to the school library,
• Innovative Reading Grant
  Awarded to: Clarice Marchena, Dos Puentes Elementary School, Manhattan, New York
  Sponsored by Capstone, the $2,500 award is designed to fund literacy projects for grades K-9 that promote the importance of reading and facilitate literacy development by supporting current reading research, practice and policy.
• Roald Dahl’s Miss Honey Social Justice Award
  Awarded to: Angela Hartman, Hutto High School, Hutto, Texas
  Sponsored by Penguin Random House, the award recognizes and encourages collaboration and partnerships between school librarians and teachers in teaching social justice through joint planning of a program, unit or event in support of social justice using school library resources. The award includes $2,000 to the librarian, up to $1,000 in reimbursement towards travel and housing to attend the AASL awards presentation at the ALA Annual Conference, and a $5,000 book donation by Penguin Random House.
• The Ruth Toor Grant for Strong Public School Libraries
  Awarded to: Arlen Kimmelman, Clearview Regional High School, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
  Sponsored by Jay Toor, the award provides funding support on a competitive basis to public school libraries for the creation and implementation of a local public awareness/marketing campaign that promotes and positions their school library as a necessary resource in the community. The grant includes $3,000 to create and implement a project, and $2,000 for both the school librarian and school official to attend the AASL national conference or the ALA Annual Conference.

The AASL award winners will be honored at the AASL Awards Ceremony during the 2015 ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco. The ceremony will be held from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27. All are welcome to celebrate the accomplishments of their peers during this recognition event taking place prior to the AASL President’s Program.

Author: Jen Habley

Jen Habley is the AASL Manager of Web Communications. She manages the AASL websites, writes press releases, coordinates AASL’s online learning opportunities, and oversees AASL’s web 2.0 tools. When not working, Jen spends time researching her family tree, reading, and watching hockey.

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