Description

Through the Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award, the Children’s Literature Assembly (CLA) honors two outstanding teacher leaders annually.
The award recognizes the contributions and leadership of the late Bonnie Campbell Hill.  The Bonnie Campbell Hill Literacy Award rewards passionate individuals dedicated to improving the teaching of reading and writing for grades K-8.

The US $2,500 grant is intended to be used for professional development (not for materials, except professional books for a book study).  The award is supported by Bonnie Campbell Hill’s family and colleagues.

Please visit the Bonnie Campbell Hill website for more information.

Who is Bonnie Campbell Hill and what is this award?

Bonnie Campbell Hill was a teacher, literacy leader, reader and writer, and a good friend of CLA. Bonnie worked extensively in elementary and middle schools, mentoring teachers around the world, and collaborating with them at state, national, and international conferences. Her teaching and writing (including nine books and numerous articles) centered around literature circles, writing instruction, classroom-based assessment, developmental continuums, portfolios, and student-led conferences. Following a cancer diagnosis 13 years ago, Bonnie dreamed of opportunities to continue her fierce advocacy for teachers as literacy leaders. In fall 2010, her family, friends, and colleagues launched Bonnie's Big Idea, a project to honor and maintain her literacy legacy. The Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award is an outgrowth of Bonnie's Big Idea. It recognizes two literacy leaders annually, and is generously funded by Dr. Hill's family. CLA is honored to serve as the home for this national award.

What does this award mean for you?

This award recognizes your role as a literacy leader and provides funding ($2,500 plus $150 in professional materials published by Heinemann) to support your own big literacy-related ideas. We recognize the role you play as a literacy leader, whether in your classroom, your school, or even your greater educational community. Now it's time to dream about -- and create -- opportunities that turn your challenges, your questions, your professional needs, even your hopes and dreams into reality. You can do that through a Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award.
Award recipients include classroom teachers, literacy coaches, or teacher educators dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of reading and writing in real world contexts in grades K – 8.

The recipients of the Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award are invited to attend the CLA Breakfast, where they will be introduced by the Awards Committee. 

The recipient is expected to submit a report to the committee about how the funds were used with information about what the winner learned and the impact of this project on student learning and professional development.
Congratulations to the 2024 Bonnie Campbell Hill Literacy Leader Award recipient!