The Paragon Award
The Paragon Award is given annually by Leadership Oklahoma City, Inc. to honor outstanding volunteer work by one of its graduates on behalf of a local nonprofit or school. A single Paragon Award recipient will be chosen from the nominees, and the nominating agency of the recipient will receive a $2,500 cash award in honor of the recipient at Leadership Oklahoma City’s May Awards Luncheon.
Criteria for Judging
Exceptional community leadership by a member of the Leadership Oklahoma City Alumni Association will be honored. Current class members are not eligible.
Leadership to be recognized will be based on the impact of an individual on a 501(c)(3) agency or a public school that affects the community bounded by Oklahoma, Cleveland, Logan and Canadian Counties.
An individual will only be eligible to win an award for volunteer service to an organization to which he/she has no substantial business connection.
Paragon Award recipients are selected by an anonymous panel of judges, all of whom are themselves civic leaders.
Your nomination should address these markers of distinguished volunteer service:
Superior Performance:
How has this volunteer contributed to your organization’s ability to advance its mission?
Distinctive Impact:
How has this volunteer risen above what you commonly expect from your volunteers?
Lasting Endurance:
How has this volunteer played a part in the long-term success of your organization?
*While it is important that the nomination explain as much as its necessary about your organization in order to clarify the nominee’s service, the nomination should not be mostly about the organization instead of the nominee.