Awards

at the National Service-Learning Conference®

The National Service-Learning Awards shine a spotlight on exemplary leaders from across the service-learning movement and nurtures the leaders of the future.

Awards are presented each spring at the National Service-Learning Conference. The deadline to nominate a candidate or apply is January 15, 2025. Award winners are provided free travel, lodging, and registration to attend The National Service-Learning Conference!

Alec Dickson Servant Leader Award

This award honors exemplary leaders who have inspired the service-learning field, positively impacting the lives of young people, and motivating others to take up the banner of service. Dickson worked with young people in his native England and abroad and founded Overseas Voluntary Service and Community Service Volunteers which have — in turn — inspired service programs worldwide.

Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award

The Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award recognizes practitioners who have equipped young people to lead and serve, both through their direct service-learning instruction with youths and by nurturing other practitioners to expand their service-learning skills and knowledge. Each year, this award is presented to a teacher or community member who has created a living legacy through service-learning practice.

The winner will receive $1,000 along with their award.

Youth Leadership For Service-Learning Excellence Award

The Youth Leadership for Service-Learning Excellence Award recognizes K-12 service-learning programs and projects that demonstrate outstanding youth leadership. The award focuses on projects that uniquely demonstrate youth leadership for service-learning excellence — incorporating key elements of high-quality service-learning and having a sustainable impact on the participants and the broader community.

The winner will receive $1,000 to support the program. Each youth involved in the winning program will receive an award certificate.