Hallmark Awards

Beyond the Trophies and the Medals: What Participation Can Do for You

One Phi Theta Kappa member recently said being at the Hallmark Awards Ceremony made her feel as if she were at the Academy Awards. While there are differences between the two awards ceremonies, there are also similarities. People who have worked hard, extended enormous creative energy, and completed detailed preparations attend both ceremonies. Academy Award nominees have written, produced, directed and acted to achieve their accomplishments. Hallmark Award nominees have done some producing and directing of their own - planning a year's worth of comprehensive chapter programs and summarizing their achievements in Hallmark Awards entries.

Just as numerous and diverse efforts are required to make a movie, think of the Hallmark Awards entry process as an opportunity to capitalize on the individual gifts of members. Some members may lend tremendous writing skill to the chapter's Hallmark essays or a member who enjoys photography might contribute by documenting events.

Think of Hallmark Awards entries not as something to be mailed to Headquarters and forgotten, but as a documentation of your chapter's activities. This information can be used to educate new chapter officers, inform your college president of your chapter's success, and motivate new members to participate. "During the summer, at one of our Board of Trustees meetings, the outgoing chapter president presents our Annual Report and introduces the newly elected chapter president to the Board of Trustees," said Velvet Webb, chapter president at Austin Community College - Rio Grande Campus, in Texas. "Within the Annual Report are all of our Hallmark entries."

If your chapter capitalizes on the Hallmark Awards Program as a fellowship and development experience for members beyond the awards ceremony itself, you'll be feeling like a winner when you walk down that red carpet whether you have a trophy in hand or not!


[Return to the November/December 2004 Golden Key Contents]



Insider Tips for Winning Entries:

Remember, "Neatness Counts": A carefully prepared entry will make it easy for judges to see your accomplishments at a glance. Make sure your entry holds together under scrutiny and doesn't have pieces falling out of it when examined.

When All Else Fails, Follow the Directions: Follow all directions carefully and read over the checklist to make sure you have incorporated all required materials.

Less is More: Since the number of supporting materials allowed is limited, make the ones you include really count - such as a letter from someone your chapter helped that explains how your service made a difference.

Quality is Better than Quantity: Comprehensive programming doesn't mean the chapter completing the greatest number of activities wins. Instead focus your efforts; build high-quality, maximum impact activities that reach out to a variety of audiences - your campus, your community, and your region.

Double Dipping Isn't Just for Ice Cream: Chapter members only have so much energy - make it count by planning activities that apply to more than one Hallmark.

Creativity Makes Your Entry Stand Out in a Crowd: If you begin your entry with an opening sentence like "Webster's Dictionary defines scholarship as…" how many other chapters will have the same idea? Instead, make your essays meaningful and individual to your chapter - as personal, descriptive and detailed as possible. Although the Honors Study Topic and International Service Program are international programs, tell the reader how they specifically apply to your chapter, your college and your community.

What Isn't a Comprehensive Program?
Remember that simply hosting regular chapter meetings and pizza parties doesn't comprise a comprehensive Fellowship Program and leading regular chapter activities isn't a comprehensive Leadership Program. Instead, describe how the chapter became a cohesive team and reached out to build bonds with others on campus, in the region and in the community. Explain how members and officers learned leadership skills, fostered leadership and civic engagement in others and served as leaders on campus, in the region and in the community.

Hallmark Award entry forms, sample award-winning essays and much more can be found at www.ptk.org/hallmarks.