Award categories

Innovator: A pioneering individual, group, or organization that implemented a creative, out-of-the-box solution to support Hawaiʻi’s children during the pandemic.

Unsung Hero: An individual who made a profound difference for kids in their community during the pandemic, but who often isn’t in the spotlight or isn’t recognized for their role.

Family-Friendly Employer: A company that went above and beyond during the pandemic to support its employees with children.

Health

Child- or Family-Focused Health Worker/Advocate: A clinician or worker who promoted health and provided exceptional care to children and their families during the pandemic.

Public Health Worker: An advocate, epidemiologist, researcher, or other professional whose significant contributions to fighting the pandemic made the community safer for all children.

Safety and Security

Family Strengthening: An individual or organization whose outstanding contributions during the pandemic helped families create safe, nurturing environments where their children can grow and thrive.

Economic Security / Social Services: An individual or organization whose extraordinary service mitigated the pandemic’s economic toll on children and families, working to ensure they still had access to basic needs and financial stability.

Early Education

Child care Provider or Early Learning/Preschool Teacher: An individual who went to great lengths to ensure young children continued receiving the care and education they need during the pandemic.

Child Care Program or Preschool: An organization that provided exemplary care and education to young children during the pandemic.

K-12 Education

Teacher: An K-12 educator (public or private) whose remarkable dedication and resourcefulness created a successful learning environment during the pandemic.

Administrator: A K-12 school administrator (public or private) whose impactful leadership helped their school successfully pivot to the pandemic’s health and educational demands.

Eligibility and judging

Eligibility: Entries must be received by February 19, 2021 at 11:59 pm HST. Individual nominees must be Hawaiʻi residents, and organizational nominees must be based in Hawaiʻi. Employees and board members of Hawaiʻi Children’s Action Network, and their immediate family, are not eligible. HCAN may disqualify entries at any time.

Judging: Awards will be judged by a panel of experts in each field (health, safety, and education). Judges will not evaluate any entries with which they have a personal or professional affiliation or other conflict of interest.

Awarding: For the “Innovator,” “Unsung Hero,” and “Family-Friendly Business” categories, judges will choose three finalists; out of those three finalists, they will choose one winner. Those nine finalists will be publicly recognized ahead of the event, and the three winners will be announced during the event. For the other eight categories, judges will choose one winner.

Cost: There is no cost to submit a nomination.