Every year, Florida PTA offers several awards and certificates to recognize PTA/PTSA achievement. Consider applying for awards to bring recognition to your unit’s programs, or to individuals making a difference in your community.

Every local unit PTA/PTSA and County Council is encouraged to apply for any and all awards listed below.  If you need additional information, please send an e-mail to awards@floridapta.org.

YOU MUST APPLY FOR EACH AWARD SEPARATELY.   

Award applications are due no later than May 1st.  You should receive an e-mail confirmation for receipt of your submission.  Award winners will be selected by the end of May.  Unless noted, awards will be presented to an elementary or K-8 PTA, a middle or high school PTA/PTSA, and a County Council when applicable.

Certificates will be distributed to the County Council Presidents or Region Representatives for distribution at Leadership Convention or county-specific events.  All other awards will be presented during a designated event at Leadership Convention in July.

To qualify for an award, remember that the following compliance requirements must be fulfilled prior to submitting your application:

  1. Current officer information must be on file.
  2. State and National portions of membership dues must be paid monthly as memberships are sold.  Memberships can be sold all year.  For awards eligibility, all dues payments for memberships sold must be received by Florida PTA by May 1st.
  3. Copy of the completed current audit must be on file with the Florida PTA office.
  4. Copy of the IRS 990 must be on file with the Florida PTA office.
  5. Bylaws must be current (reviewed and approved by Florida PTA within the past three years).
  6. Please check with your County Council for any additional compliance requirements, such as, but not limited to, County Council dues.

Have a great PTA year and apply for Awards!  We look forward to recognizing your unit this year!

**Click here for all Awards applications**

Honorary Awards

The following awards are AVAILABLE ALL YEAR to offer opportunities for special recognition at any time.

History Walk of Fame – Someone special can be honored by having their name inscribed on a brick that will be added to the Brick Walk of Fame at the Florida PTA State Office in Orlando.  There is a cost of $100 for this award.  The recipient will receive a pin symbolizing this recognition.

Honorary State Life Membership – This honorary Membership Award is given for meritorious and outstanding service on behalf of children and youth. There is a cost of $75 for this award.  The recipient will receive a certificate, pin, and wallet ID card.  Please click here to order the Honorary State Life Membership.

President’s Award of Honor – This award is presented to individuals for their outstanding service to children. This award was created as a means to honor the special people that make PTA what it is today. Our President’s Award of Honor is for recognition of educators, volunteers, students, individuals and/or businesses who make a difference for children. There is a cost of $30 for this award.  The recipient must already have a Florida PTA Honorary Life Membership to be eligible. Each honoree will receive a certificate from Florida PTA and their name will be on display at the Florida PTA State Office in Orlando. The net proceeds raised will be divided between the Florida PTA Scholarship Fund and the Florida PTA Building Fund.

Program Awards

Winners will be announced at our annual Leadership Convention in July.

Advocacy Award – This award is given to the PTA units that are promoting and supporting activities that advocate for students; changing laws, processes or methods to better the lives of every child. These activities must encompass the mission and purpose of PTA. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Award – This award is given to PTA units that promote activities which convey how the PTA supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our schools and communities, by bringing a wide range of students, parents, and the community together for the good of the school. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Eugenia B. Thomas Communication Award – The purpose of this award is to recognize PTA units that best use all forms of communication (newsletter, social media, website) to reach out to parents or local units.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Family and Community Engagement Award – The purpose of this award is to promote family and community engagement by recognizing programs, projects and activities/events that increase family and community engagement and involvement. Programs, projects, and activities/events should positively impact students, families, and staff and may be duplicated and implemented by PTAs and councils around the state.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Footprint Award – This award will be bestowed upon selected local units and/or county councils/community PTAs that originate programming that has the potential to be replicated statewide. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Friends of the Environment Award – This award is given for programs that support and promote activities that are geared towards protecting the environment. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Humanitarian Award – This award is given to the PTA units participating in activities that focus on the needs of their community and beyond, by showing initiatives in community service.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Literacy Award – This award is given to PTA units that promote literacy among students, families and the community; support the Media Center with activities that help make students better readers, writers and thinkers; and advance the ideals of learning through the written word. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Local Unit Achievement Award – This award is given to PTA units that are successful in setting goals and following through on the unity of action which can best be achieved by following basic procedures.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Mentor-A-PTA Award – This award is given to a local unit PTA that adopted another PTA. The PTA must provide a helping hand to the adopted PTA by any of the following means: training, leadership, and financial support. The purpose is to provide assistance to the adopted PTA in the implementation of PTA values and goals.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Outstanding Administrator of the Year Award – This award is to recognize a school administrator who is supportive, helpful, and personally involved in the PTA.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

PTSA Recognition Award – This award is given to one (1) PTSA unit that has transitioned from PTA to PTSA within the last year, and has a defined student representative positions, thus furthering student involvement.

President’s All Children Are Our Children Award – This award is to recognize PTA units for programs/events that best fulfill the mission of the Florida PTA President. This award is intended to celebrate those PTAs that have successfully focused efforts to bring equity and opportunity to every child by supporting the vulnerable/under-resourced children of our state. 

President’s Local Unit Achievement Award –  This award will be presented to an Elementary or K-8 PTA and a Middle or High School PTA/PTSA for outstanding achievement in improving the quality of their PTA/PTSAs in the following areas: compliance, membership, training at the county/region and state level. (Award is selected by the President from the Local Unit Achievement Award applications.)

President’s Program Award – This award will be presented to an elementary or K-8 PTA, a middle or high school PTA/PTSA, as well as a county council with a program that is a model for others to emulate and best embodies the mission of the PTA. (Award is selected by the President from Trailblazer Award Applications.)

Safety Award – PTA has always advocated for children’s safety and well-being.  This award is to recognize the PTA units that offer effective safety programs which provide students, parents, and communities with information on keeping children safe. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Special Needs Students with Unique Abilities Award – This award is given to the local unit PTA/PTSA that supports programs or activities that are inclusive of special needs students in the school, and enhances the role of the special needs students in their community. An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

STEM Award – This award is presented to the units that completed a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) program and provides a framework to encourage programs in the crucial areas of STEM.  An elementary, middle, and high school PTA will be recognized.

Student Advocate Award – This award is given to a student on the local unit or county council level who has made significant contributions through Leadership/Service.  A student from the elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Student Community Service Award – A PTA must submit an application for a particular group of students, five or more, who have participated in a community service project that they feel is worthy of notice. This group of students does not need to be affiliated directly with the school or the PTA unit applying on their behalf. One (1) award will be presented.

Trailblazer Award – PTA seeks to bring into closer relations the school and community (i.e. places of worship, businesses, community leaders, etc.). This award will be awarded to local units and/or county councils/community PTAs that are leading the way in programming which seeks to extend our mission into the surrounding community by fostering collaboration with like-minded community organizations.  An elementary, middle/high, and county council/community PTA will be recognized.

Membership Awards – Applications Required: 

The following awards/certificates are awarded based solely on qualifying numbers and/or criteria entered on the application.

The 500+ PTA Service Club – Nominate any person who has been a member of a local unit, a county council unit or a state PTA unit for at least 25 years.  Twenty (20) honorees will be chosen each year; past Florida PTA Presidents will be automatically inducted without having to be nominated.

100% Faculty Membership Award – Faculty members include administrators, teachers, support staff, and any other school site staff who contribute to the success of our students (i.e. paraprofessionals, nurses, custodians, etc). For this award, faculty and staff are used interchangeably. Faculty membership must be reported and dues must be received in the state office before May 1 to qualify.

Acorn Award – An Acorn Award Certificate will be given to the local PTA that has a majority of its faculty as members but, for some reason, cannot achieve 100%.

Celebrate Membership Award  – PTA membership equal to the number of families represented in the school, on day five of the new school year, qualifies to earn this certificate. If the school is unable to determine the number of families, the following percentages can be used:
75% of students for K-5 (6 year schools)
75% of students for K-8 (7-9 year schools)
80% of students for 3-4 year schools
85% of students for 2 year schools
95% of students for single grade centers

Community Membership Award – PTA seeks to bring into closer relations the school and community (i.e., places of worship, businesses, community leaders, etc.). This award will be given to those PTAs with at least twenty-five (25) members from the community. Parents who serve in community positions are excluded from this count.

Early Bird Award – An award will be given to each local PTA submitting an application and remittance form for state and national dues for 100% membership or any amount over last year’s membership (see the Celebrate Membership Award criteria for details on 100% membership).  Due dates for each award are as follows:

  • Golden Early Bird Award—Dues must be paid and received in the Florida PTA Office on or before October 1st.
  • Silver Early Bird Award—Dues must be paid and received in the Florida PTA Office on or before November 1st.
  • Bronze Early Bird Award—Dues must be paid and received in the Florida PTA Office on or before December 1st.

Our Founders Care Award – Any local unit that with five (5) of its own past presidents as current members is eligible for this award.

PTSA Student Involvement Award – This award is given to the Middle or High School unit that reaches the following criteria by May 1st:

  • Gold: 30% increase in student membership from previous year. 
  • Silver:  20% increase in student membership from previous year.
  • Bronze: 10% increase in student membership from previous year.

Membership Awards – No applications required:

President’s Membership Award – This award will be presented to an elementary or K-8 PTA/PTSA and a middle or high PTA/PTSA that earns Local Unit Achievement Award this year AND shows the highest numerical increase in individual memberships over the previous year. (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)

Membership Plus Award – This award will be given to one (1) elementary or K-8 and one (1) middle or high PTA/PTSA that has shown the highest numerical increase in individual memberships over the previous year. This is the only membership award that will be given with a cash prize of twenty-five dollars ($25). (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)

Certificates will be awarded to those local PTAs that achieve any of the following:
1. An increase in membership by at least 25% over the previous year.  (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)
2. The highest percentage increase in membership over the previous year. One (1) elementary or K-8 and one (1) middle or high school will be awarded. (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)
3. Membership of 1,000 or more members. (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)
4. Has attained 100% membership for the last four years or more. (NO APPLICATION REQUIRED)