After a thrilling awards season in celebration of AVID's 45th anniversary, we are excited to announce the AVID Global Achievement Awards are BACK for 2026!

We’re excited to launch this year’s AVID Global Achievement Awards nomination process, celebrating the incredible AVID educators who go above and beyond to inspire students and bring the AVID mission to life each day. This is your chance to recognize AVID champions whose passion and dedication make a lasting impact.

Submit a nomination and help us highlight educators whose transformative impact changes lives!

Skip Ahead to See Eligibility Criteria for Each Category:

• Counselor of the Year
• District Leader of the Year
• Elementary Principal of the Year
• Elementary Teacher of the Year
• International Educator/Leader of the Year
• Secondary Principal of the Year
• Secondary Teacher of the Year
• Site Coordinator of the Year
• Site Team of the Year
• Staff Developer of the Year

• Finalists will be celebrated at the 2026 AVID Summer Institutes.  
• Winners will be announced and honored at the 2026 AVID National Conference.

The deadline for submission of all nominations to AVID will be March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT through the online form.

Nominees can anticipate an email letting them know they have been nominated. This outreach will also include a request for additional information. We are so excited to celebrate our amazing community with you—thank you for amplifying this opportunity!

The awards program takes place over a calendar year:

• February 17, 2026: Nomination period opens.
• March 20, 2026: Deadline for nominees to submit applications through the online platform.
• April 27, 2026: Finalists announced.
• June – August 2026: Finalists celebrated at local Summer Institutes.
• December 2026: Recipients announced and honored at the AVID National Conference.

The AVID Counselor of the Year award recognizes an AVID Counselor who has made outstanding contributions to the implementation and advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a counselor at a school that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must be a counselor at a current AVID school for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Counselor of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID District Leader of the Year award recognizes a district leader who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System in their district.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a current district leader in a district with an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have served as district leader at the current AVID district for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's school must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID District Leader of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Elementary Principal of the Year award recognizes an elementary school principal who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System in their school.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be the current principal of an elementary school that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have served as principal at the current AVID school for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's school must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased student engagement, improved academic performance, and a strong college-going culture.
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Elementary Principal of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Elementary Teacher of the Year award recognizes an elementary school teacher who has made outstanding contributions to the implementation and advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a teacher at an elementary school that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have taught at the current AVID school for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's teaching practices must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased student engagement, improved academic performance, and a strong college-going culture in their classroom.
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Elementary Teacher of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID International Educator/Leader of the Year award recognizes an international partner who has made outstanding contributions to the global advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a current educator or leader in an active international AVID program.
2. The nominee must have served as an educator or leader in their current program for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's school must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID International Educator/Leader of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Secondary Principal of the Year award recognizes a secondary school principal who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System in their school.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a current principal of a secondary school (middle or high school) that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have served as principal at the current AVID school for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's school must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Secondary Principal of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Secondary Teacher of the Year award recognizes an AVID Elective teacher or Site Team teacher who has made outstanding contributions to the implementation and advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a teacher at a secondary school that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have taught at the current AVID school for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's teaching practices must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Secondary Teacher of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Site Coordinator of the Year award recognizes a Site Coordinator who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System in their district.

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a current Site Coordinator at a site that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominee must have served as Site Coordinator at the current AVID site for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee's school must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Site Coordinator of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Site Team of the Year award recognizes an AVID Site Team that has made outstanding contributions to the implementation and advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System at their site.

Eligibility:

1. The nominated team must be from a site that has an active AVID program.
2. The nominated team must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
3. The nominated team must show evidence of AVID's impact, such as increased college readiness indicators (e.g., enrollment in rigorous courses, improved GPA, increased college application and acceptance rates).
4. The nominated team must have demonstrated leadership in promoting AVID strategies schoolwide.

Nominations for AVID Site Team of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.

The AVID Staff Developer of the Year Award aims to honor an exceptional staff developer for their outstanding contributions to professional learning, student success, and the advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.  

Eligibility:

1. The nominee must be a Staff Developer who is currently employed by AVID Center to facilitate Communities of Practice for the 2026 professional learning season.
2. The nominee must have been hired and served as an AVID Staff Developer for at least 2 years.
3. The nominee must have demonstrated a commitment to AVID methodologies and the advancement of college and career readiness for all students.
4. The nominee must have consistently received positive feedback from training participants and demonstrated excellence in facilitating AVID-hosted professional learning.
5. The nominee must have shown leadership in promoting AVID strategies and philosophies among educators and contributed to the continuous improvement of AVID professional learning.

Nominations for AVID Staff Developer of the Year award must be submitted through the nomination form. The deadline for online submission of all nominations is March 20, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT.