Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal

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ABOUT THE RONALD REAGAN LEADERSHIP MEDAL

This prestigious award is presented to high school juniors and/or seniors who best exemplify the following characteristics: Drive, Humility, and Service Before Self. Every high school in America may nominate one junior and/or one senior student for a Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal. This award allows schools to recognize outstanding high school students whose drive, integrity, and citizenship qualities are emblematic of our nation's 40th President. Each nominated student will receive an exclusive medallion and a letter of recognition from Dr. Richard Schroeder, Chief Education Program Officer of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Awards will be mailed to school administrators during the month of April, in time to be presented at a culmination ceremony, award reception, or graduation. We encourage students to wear their medallions, take pictures with it, and share it on social media using the hashtag #ReaganMedal.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, the student must:

• Be a junior and/or a senior high school student at your school
• Exemplify the values of drive, humility and service before self

This year, high school administrators may nominate one junior and/or one senior to receive this medal. Only guidance counselors, career counselors, principals, and vice-principals are permitted to nominate students. It is the responsibility of each school's administrators to confer with one another to make their selections for the award. Multiple submissions by different staff members from the same school may result in disqualification.

 

"There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder."

Ronald Reagan

The Three Tenets of the RONALD Reagan Leadership Medal:

Drive

Like the 40th President, Reagan Leadership Medal awardees optimistically look ahead and pursue success with determination. They have the conviction, ambition, and courage to take initiative in their endeavors. They approach their goals with an “it can be done” persistence, and are not deterred by life’s challenges. Visionaries aspire to advance themselves and their communities with perpetual hope, self motivation, and the power of hard work. They model uncompromising discipline, reliability, and work ethic.

Humility

Reagan Leaders are rooted in their principles, values, and ethics. They possess the unique combination of altruism and empathy that defined President Reagan’s leadership. They inspire the respect of their peers by demonstrating genuine integrity, dependability, and hope for a brighter future. Reagan Leaders value and demonstrate a strong commitment to their role as a contributing member.

Service Before Self

Reagan Leaders are driven by a sense of commitment and moral compass to actively engage in their communities and enact positive change. Reagan Leaders exhibit President Reagan’s ideals of personal accountability, tolerance, and a belief in the human potential. They possess the awareness and internal motivation to improve and impact their communities. They serve selflessly in pursuit of prosperity for their fellow students and citizens. Reagan Leaders  share President Reagan’s unwavering patriotism and belief in the virtues and abilities of free people and the country they built. Often, they make sacrifices to support the overall needs of those around them.

FAQ

Q. Can I get my student's award shipped sooner than April?

A. We will do our best to get the medals to you as soon as possible before your awards ceremonies in May, but we cannot guarantee an exact time. We will keep you posted on arrival date.

Q. I am a teacher, not a counselor. Can I still nominate a student?

A. For the sake of consistency, we are not permitting teachers to nominate students for this award. Guidance counselors, career counselors, principals, and vice-principals are permitted to nominate students.

Q. We want to recognize the student during our school's awards presentation. Will the medal come with any documentation?

A. Yes! We will send a letter signed by Richard Schroeder, Chief Education Programming Officer of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, which we encourage award presenters to read during the ceremony.

Q. Why can I submit a junior and a senior this year?

A. We recognize that this award is beneficial not only to recognize outstanding high school seniors who are heading off to college, but for high school juniors to be able to put on their college applications the following year. 

Q. I forgot the name of the student(s) I nominated. What do I do?

A. Please send an email to education@reaganfoundation.org with the name of your school and we will be happy to pull this information for you. 

Q. I'm a parent who wants to know if my child has been nominated. Can you disclose this information? 

A. In order to not spoil the surprise of the presentation by the schools, we do not disclose information about which students have been nominated to parents.