Adult Literacy Hero
This award will recognize an individual associated with a literacy-based action of kindness, courage or outreach. These nominees have transformed another’s life or have been receptive to having their own life changed through the power of books, reading and literacy. Examples include ESL tutors, individuals who have spearheaded a literacy-based action to help others. Nominees in this category must be 22 years of age or older.
Community Impact Hero
This award will be presented to an individual, group, organization or company that demonstrates a commitment to developing broad-based literacy initiatives. This award would recognize the development of a program or another literacy service that benefits the community as a whole.
Corporate Good Neighbor Hero
This category will recognize a local business or corporation that has worked diligently to promote literacy in the West Chester area. Applicable nominees may have partnered with a nonprofit, introduced a new literacy-based initiative within their corporation, or made a donation of time, talent or resources to further the cause of literacy and benefit the community-at-large.
Educational Hero
This category recognizes educational institutions and/or the individuals within those organizations (educators, administrators, volunteers, professors, or students) who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in education by promoting literacy and reading-based initiatives. Individuals may be nominated for their dedication to academic excellence or for such acts as creating innovative educational programs or motivating groups to support the cause of literacy.
Local Author Hero
This award will recognize a local author of any age who resides within Chester County and has penned and published a book. Preferably, nominees will be individuals who are passionate about the cause of literacy, and whose works are representative of their desire to promote learning and knowledge through the power of a good book.
Uniformed Service Literacy Hero
This category will recognize any man or woman who currently serves in the armed forces or reserves, as well as local police officers, fire fighters, and other uniformed service personnel who has worked to promote literacy among their fellow soldiers or the community at large. Examples of a uniformed service hero could include a soldier teaching another soldier to read and/or write, a local police officer visiting local schools to teach students about safely; a firefighter providing instruction on fire safety to local families, etc. This category could also recognize any individual or corporation within the general community who coordinates literacy-outreach activities to uniformed officers. Examples could include book shipments to soldiers, tutoring information, virtual literacy support groups, etc.
Technology/Innovation Hero
This award will recognize an individual or organization that has used technology and/or innovation to create a literacy-based program or initiative. Examples include web-based learning or informational tools, or the engineering and invention of any device or machine that can aid literacy initiatives, including a struggling reader’s desire to read. Nominees can be any age to qualify for this category.
Youth Literacy Hero
This award will recognize a literacy-based action of extraordinary kindness, courage or unselfishness among youth in the community. Nominees may have changed another’s life, or had their own life transformed, through the power of books, reading and literacy. (Nominees must be aged 21 or younger, and can include children as young as infants and toddlers.)
