Cairn Guidance is excited to announce the second annual School Health Leadership Award! Nominate educational leaders (yourself or someone else) who has prioritized the health and well-being of students and/or staff. These leaders see the link between health and education, and they create systems that are more equitable and healthier for the school community, through policy, programs, curriculum, practices, hiring techniques, evaluations, and more.
Winners will be given the option to participate in an all expenses, paid school health conference, chosen in collaboration with the Cairn Guidance team. Winners will also be honored with an award and national recognition in October 2025.
Nominations are now closed for the 2025 year.
Nominations for the third annual School Health Leadership Award will open again in March 2026.
Discover more about our School Health Leadership Awardees
2025 Winner – Donna Franklin
The Cairn Guidance team issued a call for applications for the 2025 School Health Leadership award. After careful review of all applications, the team selected Donna Franklin, Director of Health Services at Clarkston School District in Washington State, as the 2025 recipient of the School Health Leadership Award. Donna’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to student health and wellness have transformed the lives of countless students and families in a small, rural community in Eastern Washington State. To read more about her leadership in school health, read our blog post here!
2024 Winner – Leslie Nichols
In 2024, the Cairn Guidance team internally selected Leslie Nichols, Superintendent of Gunnison Watershed School District in Colorado, as the inaugural recipient of the School Health Leadership Award. Leslie’s passion, guidance, and leadership in health education and support of the whole child have been evident in our work with the district over the past two years. To read more about her leadership in school health, read our blog post here!
