The Illinois Music Education Association is currently seeking nominations for the following awards:
Outstanding Student Teacher Award
Early Service Educator Award
Mary Hoffman Award of Excellence
Distinguished Service Award
Outstanding Administrator Award
Honorary Life Membership Award
Collegiate Chapter Recognition Award
Once all nominations and the necessary supporting material have been received, a decision will be made by the Awards Committee and the ILMEA Board of Directors; the selected honorees will be notified in writing of the award granted.
The ILMEA Awards Program supports our efforts to recognize outstanding achievements of peers, those preparing to be music educators, as well as those outside the music education profession. We strive to honor our most distinguished colleagues and increase the visibility of our most supportive benefactors.
Awards descriptions and nomination/application forms are available below, with the corresponding award. Please take a moment to review each award carefully. If you would like to make a nomination, please submit the required application materials via the links by each award. If you have any questions, please contact:
Stacy Williams-Jackson
ILMEA State President Elect
[email protected]
Please be prepared to copy/paste shareable links (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) into the form and ensure that they are set to “Anyone with the link can view.”
Nominations received without the required supporting information may not be considered. Nominations must be submitted by current ILMEA members.
DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: Third Friday in October Annually
OUTSTANDING STUDENT TEACHER AWARD
This award recognizes outstanding student teachers. The Nominee:
1. Must be an ILMEA collegiate or active member in good standing.
2. Must have completed student teaching experience in the Fall of 2022 or Spring of 2023.
3. Must have completed part of their student teaching experience at a school in Illinois.
4. Must have demonstrated commitment to learning in their placement and excellence as a pre-service educator.
EARLY SERVICE EDUCATOR AWARD
This award recognizes teaching excellence of Illinois Music Educators in the early stage of their career. The Nominee:
1. Must be an ILMEA member in good standing.
2. Must have taught for less than 5 years with at least one of those years in Illinois.
3. Must be a current music educator from any level in a school, college and/or university in Illinois.
4. Must have demonstrated teaching excellence and leadership as an early service educator.
Mary Hoffman Award of Excellence
This award recognizes teaching excellence of Illinois Music Educators. The Nominee:
1. Must be an ILMEA member in good standing.
2. Must have taught for at least 10 years.
3. Must be a current music educator from any level in a school, college and/or university in Illinois.
4. Must have demonstrated continued teaching excellence and leadership.
Distinguished service award
Awarded to a person who has clearly given very special service to ILMEA or to the goals and purposes of ILMEA. The recipient is clearly recognizable Statewide, and the service for which the Award is given, represents a long-range commitment that, in every way, can be considered extraordinary and distinguished.
OUTSTANDING ADMINISTRATOR AWARD
Awarded annually to a school administrator who supports his or her music program in a manner only possible as an administrator. The Award will be presented to a superintendent, principal or other top administrator, and recognizes excellence in encouragement and promotion of music education within Illinois.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARD
Awarded to individuals outside the field of professional music education in recognition of distinguished service to music education. This Award may be conferred only by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.
COLLEGIATE CHAPTER RECOGNITION AWARD
This award is given to Illinois Collegiate Music Education Association Chapters to recognize outstanding achievement, projects and unique service to the campus and community in which the Chapter is located. Special consideration will be given to those chapters who have worked to support ILMEA student programs such as District Auditions, Festivals or Large Group festivals or have executed projects which are, in some way, designed to advance the field of music education. This is not necessarily given on an annual basis and more than one award may be considered in the same year. Nominations may be made by any ILMEA member or Chapter Sponsor.