2026 Evening of the Stars 24th Annual “Honoring our Own” Awards
One of ACSA Region 18’s priorities is to ensure that school leaders are recognized for their excellence. Through our annual San Diego County School Boards Association (SDCSBA) and ACSA Region 18, “Honoring Our Own” Awards Dinner, we honor School Board Members, Administrators, Staff, Parents, College Professors, and Community Members for their achievements and their dedication to public education. Many of our Honorees have gone on to be recognized at the State and National levels.
The 24th “Honoring Our Own” Awards celebration is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026. This is the premier event of the year for both the San Diego County School Boards Association and for ACSA Region 18. Nearly 500 educational leaders and friends of the educational community attend this gala event. Additionally, representatives from over 20 local businesses attend and support the event with sponsorships ranging from $500 up to $5,000. Business partner sponsors are recognized for their support of public education in our Region throughout the evening.
The process for nominating someone for one of 22 award categories is coordinated with State ACSA’s nomination process. A link to the online Awards Platform is disseminated region wide to school administrators in both San Diego and Imperial Counties. Anyone can complete the on line platform nomination and submit before the January deadline. Upon receiving all nomination forms, the Region 18 Past Presidents’ Committee convenes and selects award winners for each category. The award winners, along with the Region 18 Membership, are notified about their accomplishment and are recognized at the Annual “Honoring Our Own” Awards Dinner. The San Diego County School Boards Association has a similar process, and they honor eight award categories at the “HOO” Awards Dinner.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
Outstanding students are recognized both at the local and State levels via the “Every Student Succeeding” Awards Program. ACSA Region 18 provides their ESS recipient with a $1,000 award. Please submit 2026 ACSA Region 18 Every Student Succeeding Award nominations to by February 13, 2026.
ACSA Region 18 and SDCSBA are proud to offer a joint student scholarship annually. SDCSBA and ACSA Region 18 set the goal of raising $10,000 for student scholarships in order to provide ten $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing a career in education after high school.
Student Scholarship Application forms are sent to all Superintendents in the San Diego and Imperial County for distribution in early January. Region 18 members are also provided forms for distribution to students. Nominations are due by the end of February and the winners notified in March. Scholarship funds are sent directly to their college of choice on the student’s behalf.
ADMINISTRATOR AWARDS
At the State Level, each year ACSA recognizes a select group of individuals for their significant contributions to education through three prestigious awards named in memory of past ACSA leaders: Ferd. Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Service Award, Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence and the Robert E. Kelly Award for Outstanding Community Service. In addition, members are honored for outstanding performance and achievement as Administrators of the Year in 22 job-alike categories.
The Valuing Diversity Award is given to the member whose efforts to promote diversity epitomize ACSA’s mission statement.
Programs and businesses that collaborate with administrators in support of education are also recognized though the Partners in Educational Excellence Award.
Find out more about these awards by clicking here.
In addition, ACSA’s Every Student Succeeding Program honors students who exceed our expectations and the educators who support them along the way. The purpose of this award is to honor students at all grade levels who have succeeded, against all odds, beyond expectations or simply won the hearts of the administrators and other educators who helped them achieve their goals.
The timeline for the State ACSA awards program is as follows:
- August: Online nomination forms are available for the coming year’s program; the entry period opens.
- October to January: Nominations are due to each region by the all-region deadline. Regions select their recipients/state nominees.
- Early February: Nominations are due to state ACSA. The Awards Committee meets to select recipients, and the recipients are approved by the Board in March.
- Late March: Recipients for that year are announced. (Every Student Succeeding honorees are submitted to state ACSA by regions.)
- Late April/early May: Regional recipients are recognized at the “Honoring Our Own” Awards Dinner
- June to November: Statewide recipients are featured in EdCal cover stories.
- Early November: Statewide recipients are honored at the Leadership Summit Awards Ceremony.
For more information or with questions about the Region 18 awards program, please contact us.