Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award

Past Award Recipients  |  Program Information

Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award is designed to recognize schools that have gone beyond a vision for educating the whole child to actions that result in learners who are knowledgeable, emotionally and physically healthy, civically active, artistically engaged, prepared for economic self-sufficiency, and ready for the world beyond formal schooling. This award acknowledges those schools that have changed the conversation about education from a focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that promotes the development of the whole child: a child who is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

2019 Vision in Action Award Nomination

Check back for information about the 2019 Vision in Action Award Nomination window. Note that only ASCD leaders are eligible to nominate a school for this award. See Program Information for details about nominator eligibility.

2018 Vision in Action: The Whole Child Award Recipient

Hamilton Elementary School (Port Angeles, WA)

Hamilton Elementary School was announced as the 2018 Vision in Action: The Whole Child Award recipient at ASCD Empower18 in Boston, Massachusetts. Hamilton Elementary School's motto, "Hawk Heroes, Help Themselves and Others to Learn," demonstrates the core of the school's heart and encapsulates why the school was selected as the 2018 Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award. The staff at Hamilton sees themselves as a family and strive to create a safe, supported and connected school environment and community. Hamilton extends leadership roles to students both in the classroom, across the school, and into the playground every day and provides a range of activities to ensure that a positive school culture is developed. This includes consistent positive student recognition, good behavior calls home, positive postcards, attendance rewards, super citizen awards, Playground Peace Pals, Hawk Hero slip drawings, and staff team-building competitions.

The school is supported by a psychologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, school nurse, and a fulltime counselor who supports all students in their social and emotional development with a focus on increasing academics. Hamilton's vision emphasizes the importance of rigor, with school educators supporting students through measured engagement for continuous improvement. The school has seen strong increases in student growth across three grade levels and consistently requires students to understand and monitor their own progress, graphing growth in a variety of areas and establishing evidence-based goals.

ASCD is proud to name Hamilton Elementary School as the 2018 winner of the Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award.

To learn more about Hamilton Elementary School and its community, listen to an episode of ASCD Learn Teach Lead Radio featuring Hamilton staff and read the full press release.