Program Description
Honorary Service Awards are awarded to individuals or organizations as special recognition for outstanding service to children and youth. Funds contributed to the HSA Program provide resources for the California State PTA scholarship and grant program in the honoree's name. Your unit may choose to create an award specific to your school beyond those given in the state program. Our council has created the Las Trampas Creek Council Appreciation Award.
 
Council HSA Program
When the service of an individual or group goes beyond your school community, nominations should be made to Council for recognition. Suitable council level awards include work on parcel tax or bond campaigns or work on community service projects improving the lives of children throughout the council area. Nominations for council level HSAs are due by March 13 (2009 LTCC HSA Nomination form and Past Recipient list). Your unit may also choose to recognize this same person.
 
Unit HSA Programs
For detailed information, please see "Honorary Service Awards" on the California State PTA website www.capta.org. A useful tool for selecting honorees is a HSA award rubric, view sample here. It is highly recommended that units personalize this rubric for use in their HSA program.
 
Take a careful look at the individuals and specific circumstances within and outside of your school community. The applicants being considered should be recognized for outstanding service to children and youth and not for routine, assigned responsibilities or for retirement. Awards should be made at the time of the service and need not be solitary events. An individual or group can receive the same award more than once from your unit. Because an individual was awarded an HSA last year, does not mean you need to award them a CSA this year for additional service to your school. Receiving multiple HSAs from a unit would be a high honor indeed!