Young Professional Award
The Young Professional Award provides the means through which INSHAPE recognizes a younger member of the Association who has demonstrated outstanding potential in teaching, scholarship, and service. The recipient shall have demonstrated a quality of performance that, if continued, indicates that he/she will develop into a distinguished member of the profession.
Eligibility
Any professional in health, physical education, recreation, dance, or allied areas who meets the eligibility requirements and exemplifies the criteria below may be nominated for this award.
- Current member in INSHAPE,
- Maintained membership in the Association for a minimum of the past five years,
- Be in the profession for no more than 10 years, or
- Be less than 35 years of age (as of October 15 of the year of nomination submission).
Award Criteria
The applicant must be an individual who:
- Exhibits a devotion to the advancement of health, physical education, recreation, dance, or allied areas,
- Demonstrates leadership and industry qualities during his/her years of professional involvement, and
- Displays meritorious teaching, scholarship, and service to the profession. The following are some illustrations of professional contributions. It is not expected that the nominee will have contributed in all illustrated areas:
a. Teaching/Coaching
i. Demonstrator of outstanding teaching and/or athletic coaching,
ii. Exemplary teaching/coaching abilities acknowledged through citations, awards, and other recognitions,
iii. Outstanding contributor to clinics, workshops, and/or state curricular projects concerned with the areas of health, physical education, recreation and/or dance,
iv. Physical education, recreation, and/or dance at any educational level, and
v. Outstanding contributor to the profession whose work has affected its philosophy or practice, not included in the above.
b. Scholarship
i. Systematic researcher that has helped advance the profession,
ii. Author of significant articles on the subject of health, physical education, recreation, and/or dance in the INSHAPE Journal and/or other professional publications,
iii. Author or co – author of books in health, physical education, recreation, and/or dance, and d. Creator of unique productions, fellowships, and/or grant proposals.
c. Service
i. Active leadership roles in INSHAPE,
ii. Officer holder and/or committee chair of SHAPE America Midwest District, SHAPE America, and/or affiliated organizations, such as the American College of Sports Medicine, American School Health Association, National College of Physical Education, or National Recreation and Parks Association, and
iii. Speaker before educational groups, at conference assemblies, and meetings held for the promotion of health, physical education, recreation, and/or dance.
Complete online application according to deadline on main Awards page.
Application requires one (1) letter of recommendation from applicant’s principal or colleague. The letter should be directly related to the award criteria.
Selection and Recognition Process
- The Awards Committee will select one award recipient from the pool of qualified applicants.
- Applicants will be notified by early Fall.
- The award will be presented at the State Conference in November.
Previous Award Recipients
2021 Alyssa Jackson
2020 Jacqueline Kelly
2019 Lindsay Carl
2018 Katherine Karn
2017 Melanie DeGrandchamp Busch
2016 Daniel Tennessen
2014 Tonya Gimbert Sawyer
2013 R Kevin R Richards
2011 David Pierce
2010 Ryan Hedstrom
2007 Glenna Bower
2006 James Kamla
2005 Karl Larson
2004 Raymond Leung
2003 Molly Hare
2002 Rebecca Woodard
2001 Paul Fawcett
1994 John Wingfield
1993 John Ozmun
1992 Julie Blevins
1990 Terrie M. Whitt
1989 Kathy Dean
1988 Sherri Skaggs
1987 Daymon Brodhacker
1986 Robin Walker
1985 Bill Rump
1984 Susan Aufderheide
1983 Becky Hull
1982 Barbara Albourn
1980 Marilyn Rhienhart
1979 Vicki Jackson
1978 Marge Albohm
1977 Kathy Bristow