Youth Leadership Award

John Lewis Youth Leadership Award Logo

TIMELINE

Nominations begin September 15th, 2025. Nomination Deadline is October 27th, 2025. The Recipient will be notified in November or December of 2025, and the award will be given in January 2026.

ABOUT

The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, established in February 2021, by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), aims to honor the extraordinary accomplishments of Congressman John Lewis. His courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service have inspired and will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come. In 1961, at the age of 21, Lewis was one of the original thirteen Freedom Riders. NASS members may recognize a gifted, civic-minded young person in their state each year. The recipient should demonstrate leadership abilities, have a passion for social justice, and be motivated to improve the quality of life in their community

In 1963, Lewis was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington and also one of the “Big Six” leaders that organized the march. In 1965, Lewis helped lead the Selma to Montgomery marches. The first march took place on March 7, 1965 at the Edmund Pettus Bridge where unarmed marchers were attacked by state troopers. The event later became known as “Bloody Sunday” and was a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Lewis’ activism at an early age continued throughout his life and he served as a U.S. Congressman for 33 years until he passed away in 2020.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • The nominee must be a resident of the State of Delaware.
  • The nominee must be 25 years or younger by the close of the application submission window of the nominating year.
  • The nominee must be recognized in their community for being civic-minded and improving the quality of life of their community.
  • The nominee must show a meaningful commitment to addressing civil rights issues, including but not limited to voting rights, and to authentically bring about positive change in his or her community.
    • Examples could include youth leadership in a specific project or program, advocacy, or even literature, as the late Congressman also won a National Book Award for young people’s literature.

NOMINATIONS

Nominate an Individual

Nomination Form

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Aa'khai Hollis

Aa’Khai Hollis

2024 Recipient
Press Release

Tariah Hyland

Tariah Hyland

2023 Recipient
Press Release

Karelin Torres

Karelin Torres

2022 Recipient
Press Release

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Any resident of the State of Delaware who is 25 years old or younger at the time that the nomination opens each year and who has demonstrated meaningful commitment to addressing civil rights issues may be nominated for the award.

All nominations must be completed in full and submitted no later than the deadline to be considered for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award. If a nominator misses the deadline, he or she will have the opportunity to be considered for the following year’s award.

No, the nominator does not have to live in Delaware. However, the nominee must be a resident of Delaware and must demonstrate commitment to addressing civil rights issues in the state.

No, after the application is submitted, you will not be able to make changes. Nominators should carefully review all information prior to completing and submitting the application.


No. All nominations must be completed and submitted using the online form found at sos.delaware.gov/JohnLewisAward. If you have a unique challenge that prohibits you from submitting an online nomination, please email DOS.Leadershipaward@delaware.gov. Note: No nominations will be accepted via this email address.

Informing an individual that he or she has been nominated for the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award is at the discretion of the nominator. We encourage a nominator to consult with the nominee to provide the most compelling story of his/her commitment to addressing civil rights issues in his/her community.

If an individual is nominated more than once, the selection committee will combine the information from both nomination forms to assess the nominee’s credentials.

The selection committee is comprised of staff members from the Department of State and the Governor’s Office.

The recipient of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award as well as the nominating party(s) will be notified by email regardless if they were chosen for the award or not.

The recipient of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award will receive an engraved award with the recipient’s name. The Secretary of State’s Office will recognize the recipient through a press release, on the SOS website, and on social media.

For any other questions, please contact us at: DOS.LeadershipAward@delaware.gov