Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal

ABOUT THE RONALD REAGAN LEADERSHIP MEDAL

This prestigious award is presented to graduating students who best exemplify the following characteristics: Drive, Humility, and Service Before Self. Every high school in America may nominate one graduating senior 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 John Heubusch, the Executive Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Awards will be mailed to school administrators during the month of May, 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.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, the student must:

• Graduate in the current academic year
• Exemplify the values of Drive, Humility and Service Before Self

Each academic year, only one graduating senior per high school may receive an award. It is the responsibility of each school's administrators to confer with one another to make their sole selection for the award. Multiple submissions by the same school may result in disqualification. 

COVID-19 Update

The Ronald Reagan Foundation has not been exempt from the new reality of COVID-19.  Per the guidelines of the State of California, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and all the offices held on campus, are closed.  We had hoped that the stay at home order would end prior to the end of the Medal’s nomination period, allowing us to be onsite and send out medals as expeditiously as possible.  Unfortunately, with the restrictions still in place and the Reagan Foundation still closed, we are unable to ship the Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal for the class of 2020.  This decision was made not only for the safety of our staff, who would be assembling and shipping the award packages, but for the students receiving them as well. If you have any questions, please contact the Education Staff at education@reaganfoundation.org

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in the 2020 Ronald Reagan Leadership Medal. As of May 1, the nomination period is closed. If you have interest in being notified for the 2021 Leadership Medal, please complete this interest form. Nominations for the 20/21 academic year will open in February of 2021.

"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 May?

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. I have a student who graduated in the winter. Is s/he eligible for this award?

A. Yes! Any graduating student in the 2019/2020 academic year can be considered for the Reagan Leadership Medal.

Q. In years’ past, I have been able to nominate up to four students. May I still nominate the same amount?

A. We are growing this program into one that receives prestigious national recognition. To ensure awardees are of the highest caliber, we are limiting nominations to a single senior student per high school.

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

A. Yes! We will send a letter signed by our executive director, John Heubusch, which we encourage award presenters to read during the ceremony.

Q. I am having difficulty logging in to the portal system. How do I access the application?

A. Please review our Application Portal Help page. If you've followed all those steps and are still unsuccessful, please contact us at education@reaganfoundation.org.