Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) Lifetime Achievement Award



The Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). The award is given to an individual who, for the span of his/her lifetime, has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to representing the educational needs of urban schoolchildren through his/her service as a local school board member. 

About Benjamin Elijah Mays?
Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays is remembered for his outstanding leadership and service as a scholar, teacher, minister, mentor, author and civil rights activist. Dr. Mays became a member of the Atlanta Board of Education in 1969 and served as its president from 1970-1981 where he tirelessly worked to provide equal educational opportunities for children. He died on March 28, 1984.

Award Criteria
The award is open to any current or former CUBE school board member (from a school district in good standing with its state school boards association and CUBE) who, through his/her life’s endeavors, has demonstrated a significant and lasting contribution towards representing the educational needs of urban schoolchildren through local school board service.

2012 Benjamin Elijah Mays Award Recipient:
Dr. Joseph A. Buck, Board President of Savannah Chatham County (GA) Public Schools, was awarded the 2012 Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award at the CUBE 45th Annual Conference  in Atlanta, GA. Read the full press release here.

Past Winners:
2011: Ms. Eva Carrillo Dong, Tucson (AZ)
2010: Mr. Henry J. Godfrey, Hampton (VA)
2009: Dr. John Harding Lucas, Sr., Durham (NC)  
2008: Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva, Virginia Beach (VA)
2007: Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, Atlanta (GA) - awarded posthumously 

The 2013 Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award application process has now closed. Applications for the 2014 award will be available in Winter 2014. For more information on the Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award, please contact cube@nsba.org.

 

 
 
Connect With NSBA