The Conference Leadership Award
Gary Heil
The MicroSociety Conference Leadership Award is given annually to an individual who makes a significant contribution to inspiring educators at the MicroSociety Annual Conference. Past recipients include Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Gary Heil received the 2008 MicroSociety Conference Leadership Award for his outstanding contribution to the 2008 conference in San Diego, CA. His words of inspiration ignited all of the educators attending.
Gary Heil is an internationally recognized expert on leadership, service quality, and change management. A popular and highly regarded speaker, he has more than 20 years of consulting experience speaking to private and public sector organizations throughout the world. Mr. Heil is a faculty member of the Institute for Management Studies and the University of Southern California’s Center for Telecommunications Management. He is a graduate of the US. Coast Guard Academy, holds a graduate degree in Organizational Behavior and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. As president of Heil and Associates, his company is dedicated to helping organizations implement strategies for continuous improvement.
The HEART Award
Dr. Jorge Ramirez
Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School
Chula Vista, CA
The HEART Strand means many things. In The MICROSOCIETY Handbook it says, “HEART is the balance between the soul and the mind that we think of as wholeness and call integrity.” Wholeness and integrity apply for all the past recipients. One thing that also applies for all of the recipients of this award is that they have given above and beyond what was expected. The HEART Award is MICROSOCIETY’s oldest award and this year it goes to a recipient who was one of the first practitioners of the program in the state of California as a classroom teacher. One of our own certified trainers, Dr. Jorge Ramirez was the first MICROSOCIETY practitioner to establish a MicroSociety charter school. A previous recipient of the MICROSOCIETY Innovator Award, he is the founding director of an international MICROSOCIETY school in Southern California.
The George Award for Outstanding Community Partner Achievement
Juno Raby
Duranes Elementary School
Albuquerque, NM
A thriving MicroSociety program is not only a fully functioning society within a school, but a society that’s genuinely integrated into the community surrounding the school. Community partnerships are a crucial way to show young people that the MicroSociety program is about the real world. The winner of this year’s award for Outstanding Community Partner embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship as well as the spirit of philanthropy. Mr. Raby was already well known in his community as someone who cared deeply about young people and provided resources for reading programs. That is when he learned about the MicroSociety program and has been hooked ever since. Mr. Raby provided the necessary resources to launch the MicroSociety program at Duranes but he is also igniting a city-wide Micro movement.
The George Award for Outstanding Coordinator Achievement
Josie Lovato
Duranes Elementary School
Albuquerque, NM
Ms. Lovato is an example of one person changing the world. With this year’s award, we honor a coordinator whose buoyant spirit lights up a room whenever she enters. It began two years ago when this dynamic and outgoing “woman on a mission” with a vision discovered MICROSOCIETY and remained relentless until she brought it to the children of Albuquerque. By partnering with Juno Raby - her vision is taking shape. Together they have made Micro come alive at Duranes and have caused a chain reaction that will be enabling hundreds of more children to experience the MicroSociety program in her hometown. This coming fall, several new MicroSociety programs will be starting in New Mexico.
The George Award for Outstanding Innovator Achievement
Earlene Gathright
Chester Nimitz Middle School
Tulsa, OK
This year’s award winner is a principal who has done something out of the ordinary. As many of you may be aware, in the past few years the MICROSOCIETY organization has created additional program models to enable schools to provide their students with a hands-on real world experiences. The MicroSociety after school program is of course growing rapidly, but another one of our programs, Society In Action, has been shown to be very effective in social studies classrooms as well. Yet very few principals have had the vision to try both at their school. Chester Nimitz is the first school in America to be implementing SIA and MicroSociety AfterSchool side by side.
The George Award for Outstanding Parent Achievement
CVLCC United Nations of Parents
Chula Vista Learning Community Charter School
Chula Vista, CA
Everyone knows that real parental engagement is key to unlocking the door to success for children but few truly make it happen. CVLCC has created the kind of environment where parents WANT to engage and they do - everywhere! This award goes to a team of extraordinary parents who have not only supported their children’s MicroSociety program but have actually created their own version of MICROSOCIETY as well. Parents run their own government agencies, write business plans and work on ways to integrate their MicroSociety program with the community, especially community businesses.
The George Award for Outstanding Principal Achievement
Tom Padalino
Thoreau Demonstration Academy
Tulsa, OK
Mr. Padalino has boundless energy and determination when it comes to his children, his school and MICROSOCIETY. A dynamic leader, Mr. Padalino is one of the longest tenured principals in the movement. For more than a decade, his high quality program has achieved many accolades and this year won the distinction of becoming the first MICROSOCIETY Ambassador Middle School over the years. But this award winner’s commitment extends far beyond his school. He has welcomed other educators to view his MicroSociety program in action and has helped ignite their passion for real world learning and student empowerment. He is the first principal to spearhead a state-wide outreach to bring the MicroSociety program to more schools in the state of Oklahoma. He has hosted events and has traveled with his students’ to spread the word.
The George Award for Outstanding Teacher Achievement
Anthony Cherry
Chester Nimitz Middle School
Tulsa, OK
Mr. Cherry exemplifies all of the Guiding Principles of MICROSOCIETY. He provides real world experiences, gives students voice and choice, and is an outstanding facilitator of learning. However, Mr. Cherry is unique among recipients for this award in that he is receiving it for pioneering MICROSOCIETY’s new social studies classroom program Society In Action. In his classroom students run museums, hold court cases and create newspapers from the time period of the American Revolution and beyond. Student managers construct their learning and demonstrate what they know using their team of newscasters, lawyers or game manufacturers, depending on where they work. He creates a learning environment where his students look forward to coming to class and work as diligently as their teacher to gain a real understanding of American History and how it applies to their lives today. A role model not only for his students, but for his colleagues. He has led by example in his few short years as a teacher. He has “provided opportunities for children to contribute as active citizens” and helped them to make strong connections between what they learn in school and the real world.
The Tom Malone Lifetime Achievement Award
Individual: Erik Latoni
San Diego, CA
In 2005, MICROSOCIETY established the Tom Malone Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of the principal of the first MICROSOCIETY school in the country, the McDonough City Magnet School in Lowell, MA. It is awarded to individuals who have been involved in the MICROSOCIETY movement for a number of years and made important contributions to its growth and stability. This year’s recipient has been one of its most enthusiastic and loyal supporters for more than twelve years. At conferences past Mr. Latoni’s has always been one of the highest rated presenters. A long time certified trainer, he began MICROSOCIETY in his classroom at Parkview Elementary School and ended up implementing the first ever MicroSociety summer program. An eloquent speaker, he has been a community organizer, teacher, principal and minister.
School: Sageland Elementary School
El Paso, TX
We proudly present our second Lifetime Achievement Award to one of the oldest, most distinguished MICROSOCIETY schools in the nation. Known for their outstanding community partnerships, extraordinary parent support and for achieving the national Blue Ribbon, this school epitomizes high expectations. Its staff, leadership, community and student body demands it of themselves and each other and always strives to greater accomplishments. They remain a model to the entire MICROSOCIETY movement.
Student Leadership Award
Matthew Thomas Rutherford
Discovery School
Richmond, IN
Student Leadership Award
Kiana Brown
Girls Inc. of Sarasota County
Sarasota, FL
Student Leadership Award
Brooke Cramberg
Thoreau Demonstration Academy
Tulsa, OK
Student Leadership Award
Briana Macon
Maximo MICROSOCIETY Visual Arts Elementary School
St. Petersburg, FL
The George Award for Outstanding Business Agency
Warehouse/Post Office
Church of the Open Door
Miami, FL
This year’s outstanding agency is a powerful example of how the youngest 
can succeed if only given a chance. This joint agency is run by all little guys, first grade and below. Even the manager is a 1st grader. They are responsible for sorting, pricing and maintaining the needed inventory of raw materials necessary for the student ventures. Yes, they are in charge of the MICROSOCIETY Warehouse. Not only do they manage that big responsibility, but when business is slow they also run the town Post Office. They collect, sort and deliver the mail to the mailboxes they designed from recycled Kleenex boxes. They have learned to sort, count and deal with money and they have learned to become community helpers. And all of this has occurred in an after school setting!
The George Award for Outstanding Business Venture
Bike Repair
Lake Trafford Elementary School
Immokalee, FL
At the bike shop, employees rent out bikes for a set amount of time for students to ride around the PE track during Micro time. Customers are read the rules by a bike shop employee and fitted with helmets. Employees and renters alike learn to track their allotted time for renting a bike. Employees also need to use measurement tools when fixing the bikes. For instance, they need to adjust seat heights for different students. You can imagine the popularity of these young entrepreneurs.
The George Award for Outstanding Business Venture
Micro Trading Cards
MICROSOCIETY Magnet School
New Haven, CT
This venture was conceived and designed by students. They utilize technology, integrate language arts and marketing skills, writing, editing, photography and computers. No, it is not a newspaper. It is a trading card, but not just any trading card. Each card has a photo of a student on the front and their biography and employment history on the back. There are also rare cards of teachers and the ultra rare principal card. The idea for the venture came from a story in Language Arts class. This venture is a hit with the students but also with business majors who frequent the store from nearby Gateway Community College.