Recognition Awards

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2012 NAD Conference, Louisville, KY, July 3-7 - DeaFestival Kentucky July 7

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Presentation of 51st Biennial NAD Conference Recognition Awards are listed in date and event order.

State Association Excellence Award
State Association Dinner – July 2, 2012
Presented to the State Association that has demonstrated exceptional advocacy programs and services, including membership outreach and communications.

Indiana Association of the Deaf
Awarded for the exceptional advocacy demonstrated by the Association to preserve, protect and promote the Indiana School for the Deaf.

Robert M. Greenmun Memorial Award
State Association Dinner – July 2, 2012
Presented in memory of Robert M. Greenmun, who served as NAD Secretary-Treasurer from 1946 to 1964, and in recognition of an individual State Association member who has demonstrated volunteer leadership excellence and contributions to his or her State Association.

Angela Botz
Granite City, Illinois
Awarded for the excellent leadership demonstrated by Ms. Botz in her capacity as President of the Illinois Association of the Deaf.

Golden Rose Award
Order of Georges and Georgettes Breakfast – July 3, 2012
Presented in memory of Frederick C. Schreiber, the first Executive Director of the NAD who served from 1966 to 1978, and in recognition of an individual NAD member who has provided a lifetime of volunteer service of lasting benefit to the deaf community and has established a model of behavior for young deaf people to emulate.

Richard Michael Axelrod (posthumous)
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Awarded for a lifetime of selfless service through mentorship and leadership by Mr. Axelrod to the deaf and hard of hearing community in the Metropolitan Chicago area, particularly with deaf youth in various schools and colleges.

Andrew J. Foster Teaching Excellence Award
Council of Representative, Morning Session – July 3, 2012
Presented in memory of deaf missionary educator Andrew J. Foster, in recognition of an individual NAD member who has demonstrated excellence in teaching, with focus on advancing the field of education of deaf and hard of hearing students.

Dr. Roslyn Rosen
Sherman Oaks, California
Awarded for a lifetime of dedication by Dr. Rosen to promoting and constantly elevating the quality of education for all deaf and hard of hearing students, and her advocacy to ensure the use of American Sign Language in deaf education.

Knights of the Flying Fingers Awards
Council of Representatives, Afternoon Session – July 3, 2012
Presented in recognition of individual NAD members who have demonstrated dedicated volunteer service on behalf of the Association and the American deaf and hard of hearing community.

Chuck Baird (posthumous)
Austin, Texas
Awarded for Mr. Baird’s extraordinary contributions to the arts and promoting art education for deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the world.

Ella Eakins
St. Louis, Missouri
Awarded for Ms. Eakins’ leadership and volunteerism within the State of Missouri, particularly as President of the Missouri Association of the Deaf.

Dr. Henry “Hank” Klopping
Fremont, California
Awarded for Dr. Klopping’s lifetime of dedication to educating deaf and hard of hearing students at the California School for the Deaf – Fremont, and advocacy of quality education for all deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the country.

Julie Bourne Lockhart
Frederick, Maryland
Awarded for Ms. Bourne Lockhart’s committed service to the National Association of the Deaf, particularly in the development of Vision 2020 to guide the future of the organization in serving its mission and goals.

Kim Bianco Majeri
Carmel, Indiana
Awarded for Ms. Bianco Majeri’s tireless and dedicated advocacy to preserve, protect, and promote programs and services at the Indiana School for the Deaf, and for deaf education across the country.

Lissette Molina-Wood
Miami, Florida
Awarded for Ms. Molina-Wood’s dedication and commitment to assist the National Association of the Deaf in preparation for the 2012 NAD Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, including preparations during Board meetings.

Michelle Rathswohl
Garden Grove, California
Awarded for Ms. Rathswohl’s commitment above and beyond the call of duty in ensuring that deaf and hard of hearing individuals receive, at all times, appropriate interpreting services in the Southern California area.

History Preservation Award
Opening Ceremonies – July 3, 2012
Presented to members of the NAD in recognition of their outstanding work in the area of preserving the history of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Jack & Rosalyn Gannon
New Market, Maryland
Awarded for the Gannons’ seventeen years of committed research, writing, and designing a comprehensive and entertaining book that stands out for its singular preservation of the history of the World Federation of the Deaf and all its members that are national associations of their respective countries.

Media Advocacy Award
Opening Ceremonies – July 3, 2012
Presented in recognition of an individual NAD member who has demonstrated advocacy success in advancing the civil, human and linguistic rights of the American deaf and hard of hearing community through use of the media and social networking.

Linda Bove
Toluca Lake, California
Awarded for Ms. Bove’s phenomenal contributions in the media to preserve, protect and promote the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing people including her acting career as well as her advocacy to ensure that all stage, television, and motion picture characterizations of deaf and hard of hearing people are authentic and use deaf and hard of hearing actors.

Frederick C. Schreiber Distinguished Service Award

Opening Ceremonies – July 3, 2012
Presented in memory of Frederick C. Schreiber, the first Executive Director of the NAD who served from 1966 to 1978, and in recognition of an individual NAD member who has who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to the advancement of the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans.

Dr. Lawrence R. Fleischer (posthumous)
Los Angeles, California
Awarded to recognize Dr. Fleischer’s extraordinary work in establishing, developing, and promoting Deaf Studies as a major program and department at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), as well as being instrumental in cultivating new deaf leaders of the community.

NAD-RID Outstanding Service to Interpreting Award
Council of Representatives, Morning Session – July 4, 2012
Presented to individual members of the NAD or RID who has shown significant dedication to and involvement with improving the quality of interpreting in the United States.

Dr. Benjamin J. Soukup
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Janet Bailey
Arlington, Virginia

Awarded to Dr. Soukup and Ms. Bailey for their collective work to join the work of the National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf to improve the quality of interpreting in the United States.

Accessibility Awards
Council of Representatives, Morning Session – July 4, 2012
Presented in recognition of individuals or organizational entities in recognition of exceptional commitment to advancing the accessibility rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans in a way that also benefits the public at large.

Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc.
Silver Spring, Maryland

Institute of Public Representation (IPR), Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Computer Prompting & Captioning Co. (CPC)
Rockville, Maryland

Awarded to TDI, IPR, and CPC for their collective work alongside the National Association of the Deaf in advocating for maximizing the reach and effects of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act including the promulgation of strong rules in favor of increased quantity and quality of captioning on the Internet.

Youth Service Award
Youth Luncheon – July 4, 2012
Presented in recognition of two or more individual Junior NAD or NAD members between the ages of 14-18 and 19-28 years-old, whose dedication, vision, and leadership have made a difference among American deaf and hard of hearing youth.

Shaz Booth
Morena Valley, California
Awarded to Mr. Booth for his leadership as a student at the California School for the Deaf - Riverside (CSDR), including as a student coordinator for the 2011 Jr. NAD National Conference which he ensured was 100 percent student-run with support from the CSDR faculty and staff.

Bregitt Jimenez
Chicago, Illinois
Awarded to Ms. Jimenez for her inspiring leadership for the deaf and hard of hearing community in the Chicago area as well as throughout the United States and the world, and has represented the community in many forms including the contributing her ideas to improving NAD Youth Programs, serving as staff for the YLC in 2010, and representing the NAD and DYUSA at the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section congress in Durban, South Africa.

Meritorious Service Excellence Award
Plenary Session – July 4, 2012
Presented to an individual or organization in recognition of outstanding service to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

iDeaf News
Austin, Texas
Awarded to iDeaf News for its excellent coverage of news of interest and important relevance to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Television Broadcast Excellence Award
Plenary Session – July 4, 2012
Presented to recognize excellence in television broadcasting for programs that provide balanced coverage of the issues of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Switched at Birth
ABC Family television series
Awarded to Switched at Birth for its extraordinary creation, development, and reach of a television series that involves more deaf and hard of hearing individuals than in any other series in history, and showcasing American Sign Language in a positive light for millions of television viewers.

Randall McClelland Memorial Award
Council of Representatives, Morning Session – July 6, 2012
Presented in recognition of an individual NAD member who has demonstrated exceptional advocacy leadership on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing Americans in a manner that empowers and serves as inspiration to everyone.

Dr. Beth Benedict
Germantown, Maryland
Awarded to Dr. Benedict for her dedicated and ardent focus with the provision of appropriate services for all deaf and hard of hearing infants to ensure optimal language acquisition through the use of American Sign Language from birth.

Senior Citizens Award
Senior Citizens Luncheon – July 6, 2012
Presented in recognition of individual members of the NAD who demonstrate dedicated volunteerism toward making a difference on behalf of American deaf and hard of hearing senior citizens.

James Potter
Morristown, Minnesota
Awarded to Mr. Potter for his leadership as the President of Deaf Seniors of America (DSA) through significant challenges and to preserve services for all deaf and hard of hearing senior citizens in the United States.

Spirit of the NAD Award
Council of Representatives, Afternoon Session – July 6, 2012
Presented in recognition of an individual member of NAD who carries the spirit of the NAD in all aspects of their work and on all levels – local, state and national – demonstrating exemplary commitment, dedication and service to the American deaf and hard of hearing community.

Astrid Goodstein
Scottsdale, Arizona
Awarded to Ms. Goodstein for many years of tireless and extraordinary devotion to the National Association of the Deaf on various levels including during many NAD conferences, Board meetings, and other times when the need arose.

President’s Award
Council of Representatives, Afternoon Session – July 6, 2012
Presented in recognition of an individual NAD member who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in furthering the work of the Association and its mission to preserve, protect and promote the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans.

To Be Announced

Chief Executive Officer’s Award
Council of Representatives, Afternoon Session – July 6, 2012
Presented in recognition of corporate leadership support to further the work of the NAD and its mission to preserve, protect and promote the civil, human and linguistic rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans.

To Be Announced