African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards

African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards
March 6, 2024

Join the African American Regional Educational Alliances (AAREA®) as we mark the
historic 20th Anniversary of an uplifting, time-honored ceremony in the Greater Bay Area: the Annual African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards.

20th Annual African American Student Achievement & Excellence Awards

To mark two decades of student brilliance, we gather together as a community to celebrate the Homecoming reunion of Awardees from far and wide, uniting two decades of Black Excellence in one massive, triumphant event outscaling each ceremony to come before. Join us as we gather around the flame of brilliance and achievement that lights up the current and future leaders in the African American student community, honoring outstanding accomplishments that number in the hundreds in 2024, and in the thousands since 2004.

This annual event returns in person at Zellerbach Theater on the UC Berkeley Campus on Sunday, June 9th, 2024!

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to be a part of these landmark Homecoming festivities, where the past inspires the present, and the present shapes the future.

Nominations close at 11:59PM on March 15th 2024. Please contact us with any questions or changes.

Recognition Categories

Students can be recognized in any one of the following four categories:
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    Academic Excellence

    This category recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in academics through achieving and maintaining a minimum 3.5 grade point average (or the equivalent Proficiency Level for elementary students) during the Fall 2021 Semester.

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    Academic Potential and Success

    This category recognizes the drive and determination needed to improve one’s academic experience and recognizes the student who has demonstrated resilience, growth and commitment to higher academic performance. Students nominated in this category show progress improvement in at least one academic area.

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    Cultural Leadership and Civic Involvement

    This category recognizes the student who demonstrates an intangible quality which uplifts their community and is engaged in various leadership and/or civic activities in his/her school, church or community.

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    Visual/Graphics and Performing Arts

    This category recognizes the student who has made a contribution in the visual / graphics and performing arts in his/her school or community. In addition to the traditional visual and performing arts, this category also includes: videography, photography, graphic and web design.

Eligibility

Each nominee will be screened by a committee and awards will be made based on meeting all of the following eligibility requirements:
  • Have a minimum 2.5 grade point average or equivalent progress report for Fall Semester 2023 as verified by an official transcript or report card
  • Currently in one of the following grade levels:
    • High School Seniors graduating in June 2024
    • 8th Grade middle school students who will transition to high school in Fall 2024
    • 5th and/or 6th Grade elementary school students who will transition to middle school in Fall 2024

Watch the 2022 AASAE Recap Film!

Thank you for those of you that have partnered with AAREA over the past 20 years. For those of you new to the Awards, welcome!

African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards Program Information

The African American Student Achievement and Excellence Awards (AASAE Awards) were created to encourage African American students and their families to strive and achieve.

This annual event affirms the worth and dignity of African-American students, and acknowledges and recognizes the support of parents, family and community in the lives of children.  Students are recognized in transitioning grades 5th/6th (entering middle school), 8th (entering high school), and 12th (graduating from high school), in a variety of categories that celebrate the whole child.

The ceremony takes place on an online platform where family members, friends, superintendents, teachers and local political officials live stream together in attendance.

The theme for the AASAE Awards is “Building a Brilliant, Resilient, and Strong College-Going Community.” In addition to receiving awards for their achievements, students and parents are provided with resources and information on how to prepare for college.

Major sponsors of the event have included R.T. Fisher Educational Enterprises, Inc.®, Chabot College and the Alameda County Office of Education.

Parents of students honored at the AAREA® Student Achievement and Excellence Awards are encouraged to participate in the Regional Parent Network.

Educators and school personnel involved with these outstanding students are invited to attend AAREA’s Professional Development Summit.

What People Say About the Achievement & Excellence Awards

Thank you for such an inspiring celebration of our black students on Sunday. What a grand group of students and what an incredible ceremony honoring them. I am very interested in joining your organization, on behalf of the students, but also on behalf of the unrecognized black teachers and administrators. For a very long time, black teachers and administrators in my district have been hidden and unrecognized and all of them are doing tremendous things for our students. Black students in our area are rarely even noticed let alone recognized for the good work that they do and I realize that I have an opportunity to change that now. Let me know what I can do—I want to get involved. I was very touched by your presentations and very honored for my children who received these awards and I want to make that possible for more of our deserving students.

Thank you again,

Barbara

 
AAREA® Contact Information

African American Regional Educational Alliances®

22568 Mission Blvd.
Suite 517
Hayward, CA 94541

(510) 614-3000

Co-Founder/Interim Board Chair: Robyn Fisher

AAREA® Programs & Events
March 6, 2024
November 22, 2023
August 6, 2021
January 1, 2021
November 17, 2014
January 7, 2013
January 7, 2013
Testimonials
Barbara Heisser
Coordinator of Special Projects, Pleasanton Unified School District
Thank you Bobbie for such an inspiring celebration of our black students on Sunday.  What a grand group of students and what an incredible ceremony honoring them!  I am very interested in joining your organization and representing the Tri Valley area on behalf of the students but also on behalf of the unrecognized  black teachers and administrators.  For a very long time, black teachers and administrators in Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore have been hidden and unrecognized and all of them are doing tremendous things for our students.  Black students in our area are rarely even noticed let alone recognized for the good work that they do and I really that I have an opportunity to change that now.  Let me know what I can do-I want to get involved.  I was very touched by your presentations and very honored for my children who received these awards and I want to make that possible for more of our deserving students. Thank you again!
Tina Harris
Parent of student at American High School
Ms. Brooks - I wanted to send you a note of thanks for the wonderful ceremony yesterday. I am so glad that my husband and I were able to attend, as this was such a meaningful event. The speakers were all so great, especially Bishop Keith L. Clark. My son really enjoyed his words of wisdom. You have obviously worked tirelessly to continue this very important endeavor, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Dorothy Allen
Ethnic Studies Co-chair, James Logan High School
I would like to thank you and SACAAAE for honoring me yesterday. I am really touched that a group of my peers (African American peers) think enough of what I do as an educator to single me out as one of the honorees. I would also like to congratulate you and SACAAAE for a program that was very well done and a pleasure to be a part of. Tommie, Lindsay, and I were talking after the program and we would like to know how the African American staff at James Logan High School can become a part of this fantastic program? Thank you again!
Cindi Newbold
Ms. Brooks, I really enjoyed the breakfast meeting last Saturday! I find myself refreshed for the work to come. The environment was warm, inclusive and full of life!  
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