- What is the Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete Awards Program?
The Annual Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete Awards Program is entering 21 years of honoring student-athletes for their academic accomplishments. The program was initiated in 1986 by Executive Ron Sims and Lt. Ron Sylve (retired) of the Seattle Police Department to recognize the many young athletes who are involved in community based sport associations and strive for excellence in the classroom.
The program has grown dramatically from the small beginning ceremony awarding 23 students to honoring more than 800 scholar-athletes last year. To date, thousands of student-athletes have been honored with trophies, memorabilia, and speeches by nationally renowned leaders in government, education, and sports. The Robeson Program is a non-profit organization, sustained by volunteers and contributions from private individuals and businesses such as Qwest Communications, Cadman, Inc., Clever Devices, KeyBank, Merrill Lynch & Co., Moneytree, Inc., Pacific Raceways, Inc. Puget Sound Energy, Regence BlueShield, Seattle Home Show, Seattle Sonics & Storm Foundation, and Wells Fargo. The program is growing and welcomes additional sponsors. If your company or if you know of any businesses that might be interested in learning more about the Robeson Program and how to become a sponsor, please contact Paulette Britt, Program Coordinator, at 206-296-4003.
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- Who is Paul Robeson?
Paul Robeson is one of the most talented African-American scholar-athletes of the 20th Century. He devoted his life to activism, the arts, sports and high academic achievement. Through hard work and perseverance, Robeson overcame every obstacle placed in front of him. In return, the Paul Robeson Awards Program was created to uphold and celebrate today's youth--who possess the same fervor and determination to excel academically, while displaying great sportsmanship, as Paul Robeson exemplified.
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- When does the Annual Awards Ceremony take place?
The Paul Robeson Awards ceremony will be held Thursday, March 20, 2008.
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- How can my child participate in the Paul Robeson Awards?
In order to participate in the Paul Robeson Awards Program the following requirements must be met:
- Your child must participate in a sport association that is recognized by the Robeson Program.
- Your child must be nominated by one of those associations.
- Your child must be between the ages of 5-15 years old.
- A parent permission/verification form must be submitted for your child
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- How are student-athletes selected to be a recipient of the Paul Robeson Awards Program?
All nominees who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better for the 2005 - 2006 school year are eligible to receive this award.
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- How can interested associations become a member of the Paul Robeson Awards Program, and what are the current participating associations?
There is a waiting list for associations that are interested in participating in the Robeson Program. Each year, the program budget determines the number of associations that can be accommodated. The following is a list of participating associations:
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Capitol Hill Soccer Association Seattle Chinese Athletic Association
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Magnolia Soccer Club Tukwila Blazers Youth Basketball
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Magnolia Little League Baseball Tukwila Youth Basketball League
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Montlake-Madrona Seattle Baseball Pony League WA Hurricanes Fast pitch Softball Assoc
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Mount Baker/Lakewood Soccer White Water Aquatics Swim Club
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Pacific Northwest Ballet School
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Queen Anne Soccer Association
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Seattle Asian Sports Club
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Seattle Chinese Athletic Association
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Tukwila Blazers Youth Basketball
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Tukwila Youth Basketball League
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WA Hurricanes Fast pitch Softball Association
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White Water Aquatics Swim Club.
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Application information
- Should I complete and return the application, if my child has been a past recipient?
Yes, a new application must be submitted each year your child is nominated for the program.
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- Where can I locate my child's student identification number?
A student' s identification number is a seven-digit number, which can be retrieved from your child's report card/transcript or by contacting your child's school. (Please Note: the Paul Robeson Awards Program cannot request this number on your behalf).
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- Are student identification numbers required for all students?
No, only Seattle Public School District students are required to provide a student identification number.
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- What happens if my child's application is turned in late?
Due to the growing number of nominees each year, it is imperative that all applications are received by the application deadline date. Late applications will be subject to an appeals process by the Paul Robeson Committee. If your child's application is late, the following criteria must be met in order for his/her application to be reviewed:
- A letter of explanation must accompany all late applications submitted after the application deadline. The letter should include the reason and/or circumstances in which the application was submitted late.
- Applications must be completely filled out with all the required information. Incomplete applications will automatically disqualify the applicant.
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- Where do I send my child' s application?
Mail the application to: King County Executive Office, 701 5th Ave, Suite 3250, Seattle, WA 98104, ATTN: Paul Robeson Program
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- Can I submit my child's report card/transcript as official grade information?
No, all information regarding your child's academic performance must be submitted by his/her school. Report cards/transcripts will not be accepted. We will request this information directly from the school your child attends.
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- What if my child changes schools during the nomination process?
If your child changes schools during the nominating process, please contact our office immediately with the updated information. If we determine that your child's information has changed during the nomination process, your child may be automatically disqualified.
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- Will my child be eligible to participate in the program if his/her school does not submit grade information?
Your child's academic performance is necessary to determine, if your child is eligible to receive this award. The deadline for submission of grade information from your child's school is one week after the current school year begins. If you do not hear from us by mid November, please contact our office immediately. It is likely that grade information was not received from your child's school.
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- My child attends an elementary school where GPA's are not given--what can the school submit in place of a GPA?
Your child's school will be provided a list of standards to choose from. These standards include category levels specifically created for schools with different grading systems. Please see question #23 of this sheet for a list of those standards.
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Ceremony information
- How will I know if my child is a recipient?
All recipients will be notified by mail sometime in November 2006, however, feel free to contact the Paul Robeson Program to check on the status of your child' s information.
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- Is my child eligible to receive an award more than once?
Yes, student-athletes who continue to participate in a recognized sports association and who meet all of the necessary requirements of the program are eligible to receive more than one Paul Robeson Award.
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- Does it cost anything for my child to participate in this program?
No, the ceremony is free to the recipients and a limited number of family members.
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- Where will the ceremony be held?
The ceremony location has not yet been determined. This information will be included in the invitation you will received in February 2006.
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- If I forget to RSVP for the ceremony, can I pick my child's trophy up later?
No, if you do not RSVP before the deadline, a trophy will not be ordered for your child, but we encourage you to try again the following year.
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- Will my child be eligible to receive an award even if he/she can't attend the awards ceremony?
Yes, if you are unable to attend the ceremony, instructions will be provided on how to obtain your child' s award when you RSVP. If you do not pick up your child' s trophy by the deadline provided, the trophy will be recycled for the following year. If you do not claim your child' s trophy for two consecutive years, your child will no longer be eligible to participate in the Paul Robeson program.
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- As a parent/guardian do I have to volunteer or actively participate in anything concerning the awards program?
We welcome parent participation, but parents are not required to volunteer or participate in the program.
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- What is the difference in the types of awards that are presented?
We have three different types of awards; the standards for those awards are as follows:
- 3.00 - 3.50, 3.51 - 3.99 and 4.00 - The student' s name & GPA is engraved on the trophy.
- Marks of Distinction Award - Recognition Trophy. Only the student' s name is engraved on the trophy. This category was created to provide recognition for students who attend schools that do not give GPAs or that are not comfortable converting an academic assessment into a grade point average.
- Perseverance Award - Recognition Trophy. Only the student' s name is engraved on the trophy. This category was created to provide recognition for students in special classes who are performing above average or who have improved considerably.
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- How long is the ceremony and what is the format?
The ceremony is about one hour in length. The format varies from year to year, but the program always includes a guest speaker, entertainment and prizes for the recipients.
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- Do the recipients go on stage individually to receive their award?
No, the recipients are recognized in a group by award category, see question #23 for the list of award categories - 4 categories in all.
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- Will there be refreshments/food at the ceremony?
Refreshments will not be served at this years ceremony. Please plan accordingly.
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- Is there a dress code for this event?
No, feel free to wear whatever is comfortable for you or your child.
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- How many recipients will receive this award?
This year, 837 student scholars will be honored with a Paul Robeson Scholar-Athlete award.
