Award Programs

Each year, TASH honors those whose contributions have advanced equity, opportunity and inclusion for people with disabilities, and whose actions set a high standard for human rights every day. Recipients are acknowledged each year during the TASH Conference. TASH invites you to review the descriptions below and submit a nomination for any of our four award categories.

June Downing Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education

Alice H. Hayden Emerging Researcher

Positive Images in the Media

Larry J. Brumond Supportive Relationship

June Downing Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education

This award honors the important and courageous contributions of individuals and school districts in advancing inclusive education and equitable opportunities for students pre-school through 12th grade, particularly those with the most significant disabilities and support needs. TASH recognizes the path to full inclusion can be challenging, depending on the local community, state and local leadership and other factors. The goal of TASH is to highlight contributions to progress along the path, in keeping with recognized quality practices. Awardees set a high standard for innovation and excellence in inclusive education for others to emulate.

TASH recognizes awardees in the following categories:

Most Promising Inclusive School

Inclusive Education Advocate of the Year

Inclusive Education Administrator of the Year

Inclusive Education Teacher of the Year

Most Promising Inclusive School District

View a nomination form for the June Downing Breakthroughs in Inclusive Education award.

Alice H. Hayden Emerging Researcher

This award is presented to a doctoral student enrolled in a program in an education program or a related field, who demonstrates potential for leadership in teaching, scholarship, and service on behalf of people with significant disabilities. The individual should demonstrate an ongoing commitment to working in partnership with people with disabilities. The award, established in 1978 and the first of its kind, honors the leadership and inspiration of professor Alice H. Hayden, one of the founding members of TASH. Dr Hayden was the Founder and Director of the Model Pre-School Center for Handicapped Children, of the University of Washington Child Development and Mental Retardation, Center Experimental Education Unit. She received international recognition for establishing an early intervention project for infants with Down syndrome. Her curriculum and intervention procedures were replicated in many states, Canada, and Italy, and disproved prevailing views about the hopelessness of this disability. Dr. Hayden co-authored three textbooks and published numerous articles focusing on parent-centered and interdisciplinary approaches to early and continuous intervention for children with disabilities. Dr. Hayden was a member of several of the publication, nomination, and other committees of TASH. In 1977 she was awarded an honorary doctorate degree for her pioneering work in child development and her leadership in demonstrating the power of cooperative and coordinated efforts in improving the lives of children and youth labeled with severe disabilities.

TASH recognizes awardees for their leadership in teaching, scholarship, research, and service.

View a nomination form for the Alice H Hayden Emerging Researcher Award .

Positive Images in the Media

This award honors presentations in print, film or other forms of media that promote positive images of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. Awardees are recognized for their contribution to the elimination of stereotypes by portraying people with disabilities and their lives accurately with recognition of the complexities of being human. Awardees have their material available in alternative formats that are optimally accessible to all viewers and participants.

View a nomination form for the Positive Images in the Media award.

Larry J. Brumond Supportive Relationship

The Larry J. Brumond Supportive Relationship award annually honors two individuals who have maintained a mutually supportive relationship for at least five years where the dreams and aspirations of the support recipient are supported in that person’s chosen home and community. The net result when such a relationship is formed is the fulfillment of two lives: in learning and teaching each other; in discovering better who they each are; and in understanding more deeply how critical relationships are to a satisfying and valued life. The award was first presented in 2007 to its namesake, Larry J. Brumond, and Thomas Ryan. Larry and Thomas knew each other for 21 years, 17 of which Larry was the primary support person in Thomas’s life. This award program was started by Total Living Concept (TLC), a Washington agency supporting people with disabilities to live in homes of their choosing with whom they want, where they want and for as long as they want.

View a nomination form for the Larry J. Brumond Supportive Relationship award.