Local Unit of the Year

The Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year Award acknowledges a local unit’s superior efforts and accomplishments during the year. Each winning local unit will receive a check for $1,000. The awards are designed to recognize outstanding achievements in five major areas (see below) and overall excellence.

The Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year Award is presented in five categories:

• Local units with 1–200 members
• Local units with 201–500 members
• Local units with 501–1,000 members
• Local units with 1,001+ members
• University local units

1. Local units may apply for or be nominated for the award.
2. Supporting documentation addressing the four achievement areas listed below must be filed along with the online application/nomination form.
3. Local Unit of the Year Award applicants/nominees are judged in the following four achievement areas:
   • Local unit management: Local units will be judged on organizational skills, including how responsibilities are delegated among officers and campus representatives, how volunteers are trained, how funds are managed, and how plans are made at the beginning of the year to implement local unit goals.
   • Membership recruitment and retention: This area focuses on the effectiveness of programs designed to promote the local unit, attract new members, and retain existing members.
   • Service to the school and community: ATPE encourages its local units to support their profession and their communities. This area focuses on community involvement and service to public education. Examples include involvement in school district activities and involvement in community activities.
   • Political involvement: This area relates to activities that advance ATPE priorities. This may include activities such as building relationships with legislators and school boards, holding candidate forums, and hosting a Political Involvement Training.
4. Local units with a representative currently sitting on the Leader of the Year Committee are ineligible to apply for the award.
5. Local units selected as finalists must have a representative participate in oral virtual interviews.
6. Recipients of the Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year award are ineligible to apply for the award the following year.

A committee of ATPE members is selected each year by the state president and approved by the ATPE Board of Directors. This judging committee will review all applications and select up to three finalists for each category. Following oral virtual interviews, the committee will select the recipients.

Please check back soon for 2026 ATPE Award nomination forms. Nominations for the Local Unit of the Year Award must be received by midnight Dec. 1, 2025. Local units may apply for (self-nominate) or be nominated for the award.

Entries for Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year must be submitted electronically by midnight on Feb. 1, 2026.

Finalists will be notified in March regarding having a representative participate in oral virtual interviews in April 2026.

Written responses and supporting/evidence-based documentation for the Floyd Trimble Local Unit of the Year Award is limited to two 8 1/2” x 11” pages and should focus on the four achievement areas outlined below.

Four Achievement Areas (Please see Criteria and Guidelines for details.)

1. Local unit management
2. Membership recruitment and retention
3. Service to the school and community
4. Political involvement

Pages exceeding the limit will not be considered by the judging committee.

The supporting documentation must be submitted electronically along with the application form. Faxed or mailed applications will not be accepted.