Nominate the ESP of the Year

PSEA recognizes the hard work, dedication, and community service of education support professionals through the Dolores McCracken PSEA ESP Member of the Year Award.

Nominations are now being accepted for the award, which is presented to a PSEA member who demonstrates the many contributions ESPs make to public education and to the community. PSEA’s recipient is then nominated for the National Education Association ESP of the Year Award.

The annual award was renamed to honor Dolores McCracken, former PSEA president, who passed away in November 2018. McCracken was the first ESP member to serve as a state officer.

Please take time to consider all of the outstanding ESPs you know. A nominee must have been a PSEA member for at least three years as of September 2022. Any PSEA member in good standing, any PSEA local, or the ESP Executive Board can make a nomination for the award.

Call for nominations
Dolores McCracken ESP of the Year Awards are your opportunity to nominate someone you know and work with to be recognized for his or her exceptional work.  Every year the ESP Board of Directors seek a member who reflects the importance, value and quality of the work performed by our bus drivers, food service workers, secretarial/clerical, custodian/maintenance, Para educators, information technologists, and other members, who serve not only in the schools but in the community.

Materials

• Nomination guidelines and nomination form

Deadline for nominations: Sept. 13, 2023

Award Criteria
Individuals nominated must have been a PSEA member for three years as of September of the award year.

Individuals should show outstanding effort and/or accomplishment in the following areas:

1. Professional Practice: Describe the worksite responsibilities and personal achievements the nominee has made in his/her classification or field. How has the nominee demonstrated leadership, creativity, and innovation at the worksite? How has the nominee’s professional growth made a difference for the school, the students, and the community?

2. Advocacy and Association Involvement: In what ways does the nominee serve as an advocate in the day-to-day educational process, for members, for the profession, and for public education? How has the nominee’s involvement in the National Education Association or NEA affiliate(s) contributed to his/her success as a professional? How would the nominee persuade a new colleague to join or become more active in the Association?

3. Community Engagement: Specify in detail how the nominee has been involved in promoting public education in the community. In what other ways is the nominee involved in community activities/projects? The nominee, if also named the NEA awardee, must select a community project to receive one-half of the monetary award and indicate why that project was selected.

4. Personal Achievement: How has involvement in Association and community activities enabled the nominee to meet his/her own personal goals? What advice would the nominee give to someone entering the profession?

5. Enhancement of ESP Image: Describe in detail how the nominee’s activities have enhanced the image of Education Support Professionals at the worksite, in the Association, and in the community.

Nominate someone today!