Awards
We are proud to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the lives of young children with special needs and their families in Illinois.
Jeanette A. McCollum Award for Service to the Field
This award honors individuals who have significantly impacted early intervention and early childhood services.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Be a professional in an agency or organization in the field of early intervention/early childhood (Birth–8), family member, student, or community member, or work in an area that directly impacts early intervention/early childhood (e.g., government).
- It is encouraged, but not required, that the candidate be a current member of DEC.
- Have made significant contributions on a state, regional, or local level that have improved or will improve the lives of young children with special needs, their families, or those who work on their behalf.
- Contributions may be in direct services, personnel preparation, leadership, policy development, research, advocacy, or publications and should align with the goals of Illinois DEC (IDEC) and the International DEC.
IDEC Family Engagement Award
Established in 2015, this biennial award is presented at the Sharing A Vision (SAV) Conference. The recipient remains a surprise until the announcement at the SAV opening session.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Be a parent, family member, educator, or community member.
- Demonstrate a commitment to strengthening family engagement initiatives in early intervention/early childhood education.
- Make significant contributions on a local, regional, or state level that have improved or will improve the lives of families of young children with special needs.
- It is encouraged, but not required, that the candidate be a current member of DEC.
How to Nominate
To submit a nomination, please email the following to Denise Henry, Nominations Chairperson, at dhenry@sccroe50.org:
- A one-page nomination letter that includes:
- The nominee’s name
- A brief statement explaining why they are being nominated
- Three letters of support submitted by the contact person.
- Contact information (email and phone) for one primary contact.
All documents must be submitted together by noon on Tuesday, August 26.
We look forward to reading about the wonderful folks who serve young children with disabilities and their families in Illinois!
