Vanessa Rich Leadership Award

This award celebrates the memory of Vanessa Rich, a former Head Start director, parent, and leader from Chicago who served as the chairwoman of the NHSA Board of Directors from 2013-2016.

The award is intended for a new Head Start or Early Head Start Director with three years or less of service who is carrying on Vanessa’s legacy of “Head Start doesn’t stop on the front porch, it comes all the way into the house.” The nominee will be awarded a complimentary registration and travel stipend to one of the NHSA Leadership Institutes to join us NHSA as a speaker.

The nominee must:

Be a new director with three years or less experience
Provide a letter of recommendation from two people who know the nominee in their current role
Provide a cover letter that describes the following:
- How they intend to build the future for Head Start
- Activities and efforts made by the nominee that demonstrate passion for service, advocacy, career growth, and involvement with Head Start.
Comply with all NHSA general rules and regulations as listed on the Scholarships & Awards homepage.

Application

Award Nominator

First Name

Last Name

Professional Title

Email

Organization Name

Phone

Regional Contact

First Name

Last Name

Title

Office Phone

Email

Select Award

Aubrey Pucket Award

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Head Start Program

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Ron Herdon Award

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Head Start Program

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Vanessa Rich Award

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Organization Name

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Alumni Scholarship Award

In honor of Head Start’s proven model of success, the National Head Start Alumni Scholarship is a non-renewable merit award to celebrate Head Start student achievement in high school and support students as they begin the next leg of their educational journey.

Scholarship winners will receive an award of $5,000 and a commemorative certificate. Funds must be applied to the documented cost of tuition or books at a 2-year or 4-year institution whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The nominee must:

Provide proof of enrollment in a Head Start or Early Head Start program as a child for one or more years.
Provide a cover letter with key details about the nominee and the nominee's family and connection to Head Start as a child.
Submit proof of the nominee’s status as a high school senior on target to graduate with at least a 2.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale or equivalent as indicated on school transcript.
Provide three letters of recommendation (two from academic subject teachers who taught the nominee within the last 2 years and one from a civic/religious organization where the nominee is active).
Provide proof of nominee’s application to at least one 2-year or 4-year academic institution registered by the US Department of Education (proof of enrollment will be required before distribution of funds).
Comply with all NHSA general rules and regulations as listed on the Scholarships & Awards homepage.

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Head Start Program

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Ed Zigler Award

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Program Details

Head Start Program

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Community Partner Details

Community Partner Name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Sargent Shriver Award

Individual Nominee First Name

Individual Nominee Last Name

Program Details

Head Start Program

NHSA Program Member ID

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Community Partner Details

Community Partner Name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Email

Phone (office)

Phone (mobile)

Aubrey Pucket Supporting Documents

**Click here for more details about the scholarship requirement

Résumé

Cover Letter

Letter of Recommendation #1

Letter of Recommendation #2

Headshot (jpeg or png)

Completed IRS W-9 Form

Regional or National association, Letter of Support on their letterhead.

Sample letter of support

Additional Comments

Vanessa Rich Supporting Documents

**Click here for more details about the scholarship requirement

Résumé

Cover Letter

Letter of Recommendation #1

Letter of Recommendation #2

Headshot (jpeg or png)

Completed IRS W-9 Form

Regional or National association, Letter of Support on their letterhead.

Sample letter of support

Additional Comments

Ron Herndon Supporting Documents

**Click here for more details about the scholarship requirement

Résumé

Cover Letter

Letter of Recommendation #1

Letter of Recommendation #2

Headshot (jpeg or png)

Completed IRS W-9 Form

Regional or National association, Letter of Support on their letterhead.

Sample letter of support

Additional Comments

Zigler Supporting Documents

**Click here for more details about the scholarship requirement

Organizational Statement

Letter of Recommendation #1

Letter of Recommendation #2

Logo of nominee (jpeg or png)

Logo of Community Partner

Regional or National association, Letter of Support on their letterhead.

Sample letter of support

Additional Comments

Sargent Shriver Supporting Documents

**Click here for more details about the scholarship requirement

Organizational Statement

Letter of Recommendation #1

Letter of Recommendation #2

Logo of nominee (jpeg or png)

Logo of community Partner

Regional or National association, Letter of Support on their letterhead.

Sample letter of support

Additional Comments

Alumni Scholarship Supporting Documents

Proof of Head Start Enrollment

Cover Letter

High School Transcript

Proof of college admission

Academic Letter of Support #1

Academic Letter of Support #2

Civic / Religious Organization Letter of Support

Additional Comments

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Vanessa Rich Leadership Award

This award celebrates the memory of Vanessa Rich, a former Head Start director, parent, and leader from Chicago who served as the chairwoman of the NHSA Board of Directors from 2013-2016.

Application

Past Vanessa Rich Leadership Award Recipients