César E. Chávez, the founder and president of the United Farm Workers of America, dedicated his life to improving the plight of American farmworkers and pointing out the dangers of pesticide on food. His deep belief in the principles of nonviolence and the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won him the admiration and respect of leaders throughout the world. He believed strongly in public schools and stated:

“The purpose of all education should surely be service to others.” 

In April 2020, the program was renamed the César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program to honor the contributions of both leaders. The César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program provides recognition for educators and their students who demonstrate an understanding of the vision and guiding principles embraced by César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta.

The Award Program honors the memory of these great leaders and ensures that the spirit of their work continues in the classrooms.

Award Program Description

The César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program will provide recognition for educators and their students who demonstrate an understanding of the vision and guiding principles embraced by César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta. The Awards Program honors these great leaders and ensures that the spirit of their work continues in the classrooms of California.

Award Criteria for Visual Arts

Participants must show evidence of how one or more of the below principles are evident in their lives.

Entries must focus on one or more of the following principles of César E. Chávez and/or Dolores Huerta’s legacy:

• Principles of nonviolence
• Self-determination through unionization (forming and joining unions)
• Social justice for farmworkers
• Safe food/health/environmental issues
• Human and civil rights issues
• Teamwork, cooperation, collaboration and/or service to others
• Empowerment of the disenfranchised
• Innovation and education

Eligibility for Visual Arts

• The individual student must be enrolled at and attend the same school or campus as the sponsoring CTA member.
• Grade levels include:
  • Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten – K (artwork only)
  • First – Second grade
  • Third – Fourth grade
  • Fifth – Sixth grade
  • Seventh – Eighth grade
  • Ninth – Twelfth grade
  • Higher Education (Undergraduates only)
• We encourage applications from all students including Special Ed, Alternative Ed, ELL, etc.
• Submissions that do not meet the criteria will be ineligible.

Format of Visual Art

• Two-dimensional ONLY
• Sizes can range from 8 ½” x 11” to 18” x 24”
• Provide student’s typed or written explanation, not to exceed 200 words, as to how the artwork addresses one or more of the above principles. Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten through second grade students may have their responses transcribed.
• Ensure correct grammar and spelling for the explanation

Forms of Visual Art

• Mixed media accepted
• Drawings in pencil, pastel, ink, chalk and/or charcoal (For entries using chalk, artwork must be received with sealant in order to preserve the piece.)
• Paintings in watercolor, oil, tempera, acrylic and/or airbrush
• Posters in block or silk screen printings
• Collages
• Original computer-generated art (Must provide what program was used to make digital art)

Please note the following:

• Artwork must be clearly labeled on the back with the applicant’s name, grade, school and sponsoring CTA member’s name.

Standards Definition

Mixed media is a work of art which more than one type of art material is used to create the finished piece.

Collage is an artistic composition made of various materials (i.e., paper, cloth, wood) and glued on a surface.

Additional Information

• Application forms will be available soon
• Any submission can be reproduced for promotion purposes.

Deadline:

Each entry must be submitted with a separate application and must be received by Friday, March 7, 2025.

Send entries to:

CTA Human Rights Department
César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program
PO Box 921
Burlingame, CA 94011-0921
Attn: Janeya Dawson

Award Program Description

The César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program will provide recognition for educators and their students who demonstrate an understanding of the vision and guiding principles embraced by César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta. The Awards Program honors these great leaders and ensures that the spirit of their work continues in the classrooms of California.

Award Criteria for Written Essays

Participants must show evidence of how one or more of the below principles are evident in their lives.

Entries must focus on one or more of the following principles of César E. Chávez and/or Dolores Huerta’s legacy:

• Principles of nonviolence
• Self-determination through unionization (forming and joining unions)
• Social justice for farmworkers
• Safe food/health/environmental issues
• Human and civil rights issues
• Teamwork, cooperation, collaboration, and/or service to others
• Empowerment of the disenfranchised
• Innovation and education

Eligibility for Written Essays

• The individual student must be enrolled at and attend the same school or campus as the sponsoring CTA member.
• Grade levels include:
  • First – Second grade
  • Third – Fourth grade
  • Fifth – Sixth grade
  • Seventh – Eighth grade
  • Ninth – Twelfth grade
  • Higher Education (Undergraduates only)
• We encourage applications from all students including Special Ed, Alternative Ed, ELL, etc.
• Submissions that do not meet the criteria will be ineligible.
• NO BIOGRAPHIES!

Length of Essay

• Grades 1 – 2 | Age-appropriate composition
• Grades 3 – 4 | 200 – 300 words
• Grades 5 – 8 | 400 – 600 words
• Grades 9 – 12 | 800 – 1100 words
• Higher Education | 1000 – 1500 words (Undergraduates only)

Please note the following:

• Print and submit word count verification
• Provide an English translation of an essay if original piece is written in another language
• Grades 10th – Higher Education entries must cite resources, footnotes or a bibliography

NOTE:
This written essay should NOT BE A BIOGRAPHY of César E. Chávez and/or Dolores Huerta.

Participants must show evidence of how one or more of the principles are evident in their lives and correlate their experience(s) to the work of César E. Chávez and/or Dolores Huerta.

Format of Essay

• Double-spaced with 1” margins
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt.
• Pages numbered
• Grades 1 – 2 must be legibly written or typed
• Grades 3 – Higher Education must be typed; otherwise, a letter explaining circumstances must be included by the sponsoring CTA member
• Staple pages, DO NOT place into folder or binder
• American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) Format

Additional Information:

• Application forms will be available soon
• Any submission can be reproduced for promotion purposes.

Deadline:

Each entry must be submitted with a separate application and must be received by Friday, March 7, 2025.

Send entries to:

CTA Human Rights Department
César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program
PO Box 921
Burlingame, CA 94011-0921
Attn: Janeya Dawson

Sustaining finances for the Fund come from voluntary contributions and the CTA Foundation for Teaching and Learning.

Send Donations To:

California Teachers Association
c/o César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program
PO Box 921
Burlingame, CA 94011-0921

Make Checks Payable To:

CTA FOUNDATION
(In check memo line indicate César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program)

The 2024-2025 César E. Chávez and Dolores Huerta Education Awards Program Committee:

Magdalena Villalba, Chair
Angela Der Ramos, Board Liaison
Robert Ellis, Board Liaison
Nancy Bravo
Josefa “Josie” Bustos-Pelayo
Denise Daguimol
Yolanda Diaz
Sonta Garner-Marcelo
Rachel Gutierrez
Ralph Hernandez
Alyssa Juarez
Alma Lepe Santana
Martha Nevarez
Dorothy Reina