CEA Awards
Every year, the Colorado Education Association (CEA) honors remarkable educators and friends of public education from across Colorado at our Delegate Assembly. With so many people doing extraordinary things in their classrooms, school buildings, meeting rooms, and at the legislature, we need your help to find them.
You can nominate a friend, fellow member, community leader, or colleague – any Coloradan who you admire and believe exemplifies the criteria of a respective award. Your nominations help us celebrate and recognize the dedication and passion of those who make a difference in our educational community.
Bates Award
The John M. & Gladys N. Bates Award recognizes outstanding contributions in the areas of human relations, multiculturalism, and/or diversity in the field of education. This award honors an educator, lay person, or group who has worked to promote collaboration and harmony among diverse groups while advancing social and racial justice.
CEA Award
The CEA Award recognizes an Association member who has given outstanding service to public education at the state level. This is the highest award that CEA bestows upon a member.
Coloradan Award
The Coloradan Award recognizes an outstanding individual or organization for service in support of education at the state level. This is the highest award CEA gives to someone who is not an Association member.
Columbine Award
The Columbine Award recognizes an Association member for leadership in member recruitment and retention resulting in significant membership growth.
ESP Award
The ESP Award recognizes an education support professional (ESP) member whose activities demonstrate the contributions of education support professionals to public education. The ESP Award winner is CEA’s nominee for the NEA ESP Person of the Year.
Friend of Education Award
The Friend of Education Award honors a public official who has made a significant contribution to public education in Colorado.
Golden Apple Award
The Golden Apple Award recognizes an Association member, committee, or local who has made outstanding contributions in the area of education excellence and teacher image. This award honors those who have developed and implemented programs and/or activities to enhance the teaching profession and public education.
John Chase Political Action Award Award
The John Chase Political Action Award recognizes a member or group of members who have made major contributions to public education in the political arena and whose efforts have significantly impacted the Association’s political action program.
Lion Advocacy Award
The Lion Advocacy Award recognizes individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions as advocates for education employees and public education. Named in honor of the late James Reynolds, Director of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission for 18 years, who was recognized by CEA in 1980 for his human and civil rights contributions, this award celebrates exceptional advocacy efforts.
Mary Harris “Mother” Jones Organizing
Award
Mary Harris “Mother” Jones was an Irish-American school teacher and dressmaker who became a prominent labor and community organizer. She helped coordinate major strikes and co-founded the Industrial Workers of the World.
This award honors a CEA member who embodies what it means to be an organizer through their actions to organize internally or externally, increase capacity, and build coalitions to enhance and protect public education.
Mickelsen Diamond Award
The Mel Mickelsen Diamond Award recognizes an Association member or a group of members for outstanding service to education through collective bargaining. It honors those who have been deeply involved in our Association’s representation of education employees through collective bargaining.
The Diamond Award represents the four objectives of collective bargaining: employee rights, salary and benefits, working conditions, and operational procedures.
Petrocco Leadership Award
The Hazel F. Petrocco Leadership Award recognizes an individual or group for outstanding service in the area of women’s rights. Named for the late Hazel Petrocco, a long-time Association activist and advocate for women’s rights and a member of the Pueblo Education Association, this award honors those whose activities in leadership positions and women’s rights have significantly impacted public education and furthered the achievement of equal educational opportunities for women and girls.
Johnson Memorial Scholarship
The Robert H. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Scholarship recognizes an Association member who is committed to improving his or her professional skills. The Johnson Scholarship is named for Dr. Robert H. Johnson, Jr., CEA Executive Director from 1968 to 1974. It is given each year in his memory from a fund administered by the Board of Directors.
Silver Apple Award
The Silver Apple Award honors individuals and/or groups who have made a substantial contribution to the Association, its members, public schools, and students. The CEA-R Representative Council recognizes that there are many retired members who continue to impact public education and the profession by contributing their time and talent.
The Silver Apple Award recognizes a retired Association member or a group of retired Association members for outstanding service to the Association, public education, and/or the profession.
2026 CEA Award Winners
Apple Core Award
Karol Martinez
SD14CTA
CEA International Educator Award
Charles Muchiri Njoki
SD14CTA
Columbine Award
Ann Franco
DCTA Retired
ESP Award
Suzie McGhghy
Pueblo County EA
Friend of Education Award
Julie Ott
Colorado Springs District 11 Board of Education, Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) Board of Directors
Golden Apple Award
Pam Goldbach
Colorado Springs Education Support Professionals
Lion Advocacy Award
Judy Solano
Central Adams Retired Educators
Mary Harris “Mother Jones” Organizing Award
Carmen Moyer
Colorado Springs EA
Mel Mickelsen Diamond Award
Karl Silbaugh
Pueblo County Education Association
Robert H. Johnson Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Collin Ferraro
JCEA
Silver Apple Award
Bernie Janelle
DCTA Retired