Dear ACS Athens Community Members:

It is a pleasure to once again announce the ACS Athens Alumni Awards initiative. Our ACS Athens alumni are a living testament to the type of individuals that go out into the world; successful, thoughtful, resilient, Global Conscious Citizens who, with their knowledge, skill, and ethos, improve life and living.

Over the years, ACS Athens alumni have excelled as professionals and as individuals, bringing to the forefront the ACS Athens spirit and the values that preside wherever they are in the world. In recognition and celebration of ACS Athens alumni achievements, during our 2025 80th-year celebration/gala event, we will once again highlight significant leadership contributions and recognize our chosen alumni with the Global Achievement Awards.

Two award categories will be presented:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award – recognizing an alumnus (over 50) whose accomplishments in the public, private, or non-profit sector have made an outstanding contribution to the community and serve as an example both professionally and ethically.

2. Upcoming Young Leadership Award – recognizing an alumnus (aged 50 or under) who shows promise in his/her field by providing inspiration and leadership to students and other young alumni. The recipient has to have demonstrated significant leadership either in their professional career and/or community, public or humanitarian service.

The Nomination Form and all relevant information about these two awards can be found here on the ACS Athens Global Alumni site (www.acsathensglobal.org). Nominations will be accepted only through this site. If you have not yet signed up as a member of Global, please do so. I encourage you to participate by nominating someone you believe has the qualities outlined above and should be considered for these two awards. Your voice is important in recognizing talented individuals who, through the years, have improved life and living as Global Conscious Citizens.

As these awards have become a tradition for ACS Athens, they are indeed a wonderful opportunity to recognize all those who, in their unique way, carry the ACS Athens values into their work and the world, making us all proud.

Sincerely,

Peggy Pelonis, Ed.D

President

CRITERIA for the 2025 ACS Athens Global Alumni Achievement Awards

1) Upcoming Young Leadership Award

This award recognizes a young ACS Athens alumnus (aged 50 or under) who demonstrates promise in his/her field by providing inspiration and leadership to students and other young alumni. The recipient has shown significant leadership either in their professional career and/or community, public or humanitarian service.

2) Lifetime Achievement Award or “Award of Distinction”

This honor is awarded to an ACS Athens alumnus (over 50) whose accomplishments in the public, private, or nonprofit sector have made an outstanding contribution to the community and serve as an example both professionally and ethically.

Purpose

The purpose of these awards is to:

• recognize these significant professional and community contributions that ACS Athens alumni are making globally;
• showcase and honor our alumni who have demonstrated outstanding achievements;
• profile ACS Athens by recognizing the accomplishments of its alumni;
• connect alumni, ACS Athens, and the wider community;
• reach out to and strengthen alumni pride and bond with ACS Athens.

Eligibility

• Committee Members and award recipients must be registered members of the ACS Athens Global Association (www.acsathensglobal.org)
• Only registered members of the ACS Athens Global Association will be eligible to nominate candidates for this award.
• Posthumous nominations will not be considered.
• The recipient must be present to receive the award unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Selection Criteria

The ACS Athens Global Achievement Awards recognize ACS Athens Alumni associated with ACS Athens (The American Community Schools of Athens) for their achievements and contributions to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of society through a show of excellence, leadership, innovation, and ethics. ACS Athens alumni are individuals who attended the institution for at least one year.

These qualities will be measured by:

• Prominence, documented recognition, and impact on a large number of individuals and institutions both in social and environmental dimensions of sustainability in their field
• Consistent record of excellence and achievement
• Display of innovative and effective approaches to challenges
• Show of character through an ongoing and positive effect on their field and/or other people
• Ethos

Process

• An ACS Athens Global Awards Committee will consist of two Board of Trustees members (one alumnus), two ACS Athens Alumni (one of which will be from the ACS Athens Global Advisory), and two members of the ACS Athens leadership team. The Ex-Officio will be the President of ACS Athens.
• The Awards Committee will be responsible for final selection approval. Nominations will remain on file and will be considered for the following Awards cycle after submission.
• The awards ceremony and dinner will take place in the Spring or Fall of each year, in a US city chosen by the Committee or in Athens, Greece.
• The nomination form will be uploaded on acsathensglobal.org
• Nominations will be received through the website through November 15, 2024.
• Nominations may be submitted by a nominator for more than one nominee in a particular year.
• Nominations that are unsuccessful will be made known to the nominators by email; nominations may not be made for oneself.
• A plexiglass award inscribed with their name, distinction, and event details will be presented to the chosen alumni.
• The ACS Athens Global Awards of Distinction Inaugural event will take place on February 14, 2025 in Athens.

Timeline:

• Nomination Deadline – November 15, 2024
• Judging / Evaluation period – the week of November 18th
• Nominators Notified Finalists Announced - the week of November 25th or earlier
• Winners Notified and Announced – the week of November 25th
• Awards Ceremony – February 14, 2025