For more than 60 years, Summit Rotary in partnership with Greensboro Parks and Recreation has been awarding students who have demonstrated personal and academic growth despite obstacles that many of us can’t even imagine with the Student Improvement Award.

The Student Improvement Award, a monthly award, was designed specifically for those students who once were not caring or trying, not showing up for school, failing classes, getting into trouble, and generally “headed down the wrong path,” but have now made a personal choice to change their lives.

This award also honors students who have overcome personal obstacles in their lives such as a personal tragedy, the divorce of their parents, pregnancy, a disability or sickness, or even speaking English as a second language.

Each month, the review committee meets to select the monthly winners who are then honored at a luncheon at Starmount Country Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Student Improvement Award and its positive impacts on its nominees. 

Who is Eligible?

Students who are eligible for nomination must be:

• A Guilford County resident
• A middle or high school student who is currently enrolled and attending school on a regular basis

How to Nominate a Student

Nominations for the Student Improvement Award are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 school year. This unique award is presented monthly by the City of Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Summit Rotary Club. Nominating a student is easy:

• Be a person who maintains regular contact with the student and has observed the student’s improvement.
• Be a school official, coach, teacher, counselor, therapist, volunteer, mentor, or work with the student through your agency. 
• As a way to say thank you for taking the time to nominate a student for this award, if your student is selected as the monthly winner, you will receive a $50 gift card. 
• Complete an application and submit it and all application components by 5 pm on the last business day of the month. Each month, the committee meets to select two students.

Applications will be valid only for the current school year (September 2024 to April 2025), and a student can only win once.

What Do Award Winners Receive?

Monthly award recipients will:  

• Attend a luncheon held at Starmount Country Club with the nominator, school principal, and two family members.
• SIA monthly winners will receive a $100 gift card for this school year
• Receive a personalized Student Improvement Award plaque
• Possibly be featured in a newspaper article or on a television news segment
• Be eligible for the Student of the Year Award, which is given out in May at a celebration that invites all the winners, their families, and nominators together.

Sponsors of this year’s Student Improvement Award include Greensboro Parks and Recreation, Summit Rotary Club, Guilford County Schools, Southern Guilford New Generation Rotary Club, Guilford Education Alliance, and Awards of Excellence. 

For more information, call 336-373-7617 or e-mail us.