Social Work Awards: Honoring Excellence in Abilene

The National Association of Social Workers-West Central Texas Branch will hold its annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 26, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Community Foundation of Abilene building.

Recipients who will be recognized are:

• Public Elected Official of the Year- Judge Shawna Joiner (Taylor County)
• Social Worker of the Year- Bryn Stonehouse (Abilene ISD)
• Lifetime Achievement Award- Dr. Thomas Winter (Abilene Christian University)
• Public Citizen of the Year- Michael Prado (Abilene Hope Haven)
• Field Instructor of the Year- Amy Hernandez (Hendrick Health/Hardin-Simmons University) & Lauren Anderson (GrantWorks/Abilene Christian University)
• Undergraduate Social Work Student of the Year- Amy Shelton (Hardin-Simmons University) & Hunter Malone (Abilene Christian University)
• Graduate Social Work Student of the Year- Mackenzie Stevens (Abilene Christian University)
• Media Award- Mary Burke (Hardin-Simmons University)

Throughout the week of March 18, award recipients were surprised by the “Prize Patrol,” –a group of social workers who show up at the awardees’ place of employment to announce their recognition. (Videos of these surprise encounters can be found online here.)

About each award:

The Public Elected Official of the Year Award recognizes outstanding service and contributions of an elected official who has shown leadership in the formulation of public policy, particularly policies that affect social justice, health care, education, civil and human rights, and social practice.

The Social Worker of the Year Award honors a member of NASW who exemplifies the best of the profession’s values and achievements. In honoring the Social Worker of the Year, NASW highlights superb accomplishments in the practice of social work. The Social Worker of the Year demonstrates outstanding leadership, advocates for clients, and takes risks to achieve outstanding results.

The Public Citizen of the Year Award honors an outstanding member of the community whose accomplishments exemplify the values and mission of the profession of social work and who has acted with courage to make a significant contribution to an area or population of concern to the social work profession such as: at-risk or vulnerable populations, quality of life in communities, or social issues.

The Social Work Student of the Year Award honors a student member of NASW who is enrolled at least halftime (as defined by their school) in a graduate or undergraduate Social Work Program and has made an outstanding contribution to the goals and mission of the profession. The Social Work Student of the Year demonstrates leadership, a commitment to social justice, the profession of social work, and clients, and the integration of social work knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values.

The Media Award of the Year honors a member of the media who has made outstanding contributions in Print, Radio, Television or Online Publications that exemplify social work values and ethics or increases the understanding, awareness and values of the social work profession to the general public.