Susan F. Berkowitz Award
For Outstanding Service to Children
Dear Friend and Colleague:
The Francis W. Parker School is accepting proposals for the 2015 Susan F. Berkowitz Award
for Outstanding Service to Children. This $10,000 award was established to honor the life and
work of Dr. Susan F. Berkowitz and her deep commitment to building hope and optimism in
children by strengthening the bonds between family, school and community life. The intent of this
award is to foster a wider appreciation for organizations who, on a day-to-day basis, demonstrate
imagination and dedication, and who provide children and/or adolescents with the strength, selfconfidence and resources needed to sustain healthy learning and development, and to achieve
future success.
This year’s Susan F. Berkowitz Award will be given to a community-based organization whose work
focuses on the following theme:
Young people affected by the juvenile justice system
and/or impacted by gun violence
Organizations submitting proposals for this year’s award should be engaged in activity reflecting
the following criteria:
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Work with a community-based organization that supports youth
Work in a not-for-profit organization
Work with a population that will benefit significantly from the financial support of this award
Work within the Chicago area
Please read the Award Mission, review the Award Selection and Award Determination processes,
and refer to the theme-specific questions in the 2015 Proposal Submission Guidelines. Proposals
are due on Friday, January 16, 2015.
Please feel free to contact us with any further questions at 773-797-5103.
Sincerely,
The 2015 Berkowitz Committee
Grace Andrews
Anna Batdorff
Sophie Becker
Isobel Bender
J.J. Bernardt
Raymond Blickstein
Brianna Boone
Dasya Cook
Alina Ekbal
Natalie Emmerman
Vicky Escalante
Magda Farrug
Abby Feitler
Kaden Florsheim
Sonia Frank
Zoe Gardner
Talia Garg
Danielle Gilfoyle
Lauren Goodman
Elena Holceker
Katrina Holceker
Allison Holleb
Josh Kahn
Sam Karmin
Jason Lansing
Oliva Levine
Jessi Lieb
Josh Marks
Danny McGarvey
Marlee Neff
Sidonia Ohringer
Camryn Oliff
Austin O'Toole
Maya Plotnick
Samantha Posner
Eliza Reinisch
Anna Cecilia
Rosencranz
Rebecca Ross
Isabella Saker
Isabel Saltzman
Yasmine Shafaie
Jordan Shapiro
Danny Sickle
Shu (Lydia) Sun
Emma Swislow
Mark Tarshis
Taylor Thompson
Julia Turner
Simone Turner
Dora Wedner
Martha Wedner
Shulie Weinberg
Zach Weiss
Francis W. Parker School  330 W. Webster  Chicago, IL 60614
Susan F. Berkowitz Award
For Outstanding Service to Children
Award Mission
The Francis W. Parker School was founded and operates on ideals of citizenship, character,
community and responsibility. The spirit of this democratic ethos inspired the creation of the
Susan F. Berkowitz Award for Outstanding Service to Children.
This award was established by the school to honor the life and work of the late Dr. Susan F.
Berkowitz, a clinical psychologist, parent and active member of the Parker community. Dr.
Berkowitz made many important contributions to our school and to the lives of the many
children, teachers, and parents she touched. This award recognizes other individuals whose
work builds hope and optimism in children, strengthening the bonds between family, school
and community. Such work demonstrates the commitment and imagination needed to ensure
conditions that are supportive of the positive growth, development, and education of children.
By recognizing and supporting the work of exemplary organizations, this award aims to foster
a deeper appreciation of those practitioners who design and implement outstanding
initiatives that provide children with the strength, self-confidence and resources to sustain
their learning and future success.
Each year the award will be given to those whose work animates a particular theme or issue
consistent with the overall mission of the award.
Award Selection Process
Proposals will be reviewed by a Committee made up of school personnel and high school
students. In keeping with this year’s award theme, judging criteria will include:
Dedication:
Work that consistently sets high standards of practice.
Innovation:
The ability to invent new and effective approaches to fostering
understanding among diverse groups of people.
Impact:
Work that demonstrates through positive results its effectiveness and its
ability to influence others.
Leadership:
Personal qualities that help others to strive for excellence and effectiveness.
Award Determination
1. After reviewing proposals, the Committee will contact selected finalists to schedule a date
to meet them and visit their program. These site visits will begin in February 2015.
2. The 2015 Susan F. Berkowitz Award recipient will be notified in early April 2015.
3. On Friday, May 8, 2015, Students from the Committee will host a school assembly to honor
the award recipient.
Francis W. Parker School  330 W. Webster  Chicago, IL 60614
Susan F. Berkowitz Award
For Outstanding Service to Children
2015 Proposal Submission Guidelines
Within your proposal please provide narrative answers to the following questions:
1. How would you describe your work?
2. How do you measure the impact of your work?
3. What are some examples of your program’s impact upon the young
people in the juvenile system or those directly affected by gun
violence?
4. What are the funding sources for your work?
5. What impact would receiving this award have on your work? How do
you anticipate using the award? Please be specific.
6. Is there any other information you think would be helpful to the
Selection Committee in evaluating your nomination?
Proposals must be submitted with the attached cover sheet by Friday, January 16, 2015.
You may submit your proposal electronically, or via mail.
Email proposals to: berkowitzaward@fwparker.org
or
Mail proposals to: The Francis W. Parker School
Susan F. Berkowitz Award
c/o Ruth Jurgensen, Assistant Principal
330 West Webster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
Francis W. Parker School  330 W. Webster  Chicago, IL 60614
Susan F. Berkowitz Award
For Outstanding Service to Children
2015 Proposal Cover Sheet
Please complete the information below and attach this sheet to your proposal.
Person to contact
Name:
Regarding this Award: ______________________________________________________
Organization:
Organization Name: ______________________________________________________
Organization
Addre
Organization
Address: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Home Phone:
Home Phone: ______________________________________________________
Work Phone:Work Phone: ______________________________________________________
E-mail:
E-mail: ______________________________________________________
Proposals must be submitted along with this cover sheet by Friday, January 16, 2015.
You may submit your proposal electronically, or via mail.
Email proposals to: berkowitzaward@fwparker.org
or
Mail proposals to: The Francis W. Parker School
Susan F. Berkowitz Award
c/o Ruth Jurgensen, Assistant Principal
330 West Webster Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
Francis W. Parker School  330 W. Webster  Chicago, IL 60614