Junior Activities Program Awards

2025-2026 National Junior Activities Program Awards Deadlines and Submission Requirements

All award submissions must include a narrative (either a PDF or Microsoft Word document) explaining why the department or unit you’re nominating should receive the award. The narrative can also be the department chair’s report. You may also upload other supporting documentation that will give the committee a full picture of the important mission work your department or unit has accomplished this year. These files can be photos (JPG, JPEG or TIFs -- no larger than 14MB) or PDF documents. If you have more than three supporting files, please email the committee email address listed in the form.

National Awards Form Link: https://www.legion-aux.org/National-Awards-Form

Member Award: Junior Member of the Year

• One national JMOY will win a $5,000 scholarship and a trip to the ALA’s National Convention.
• Four division JMOY winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
• Nominees must have been a Junior member at the start of the current ALA administrative year.
• Juniors must be at least in eighth or eighth-grade equivalent and may win only once.
• Juniors may be nominated by any member, unit, or department.
• The narrative should detail the Junior nominee’s ALA participation and activities during the past year. Document with photographs, screenshots, and other evidence of Junior’s ALA participation and activities.
• All entries must be submitted via electronic form by 5 p.m. EST on June 1.
• Note: You will receive a confirmation when your award is submitted.

Rising Star Juniors

Like the Junior Member of the Year program, the Rising Star Junior Award recognizes our younger members and their active participation in the ALA’s mission. Five Rising Star Juniors, one in each ALA division, will be selected by the national Junior Activities Committee.

Learn more

National Junior Member of the Year/Rising Juniors Awards Form Link: https://legion-aux.formstack.com/forms/2025_2026_jmoy_rsj

Unit Award: Most Outstanding Unit Junior Activities Program (per division)

• Presented: One unit in each division.
• Materials and guidelines:
  • Narrative not to exceed 1,000 words that includes specific examples of how the unit involved Junior members as part of their unit’s programs.
  • Should include high-resolution action photos, scans/links to news articles, etc.
• All unit entries must be submitted via electronic form by 5 p.m. EST on June 1.

Note: You will receive a confirmation when your award is submitted.

National Awards Form Link: https://www.legion-aux.org/National-Awards-Form

Department Award: Best Department Junior Activities Program (per division)

• Presented to: One department in each division.
• Materials and guidelines:
  • Narrative not to exceed 1,000 words that includes examples of how the department chair shared information with departments about the Junior Activities program; may include the department chair’s report.
  • Should include action (high-resolution) photos, scans/links to news articles, etc.
• All department entries must be submitted via electronic form by 5 p.m. EST on June 1.

Note: You will receive a confirmation when your award is submitted.

National Awards Form Link: https://www.legion-aux.org/National-Awards-Form

Please note – when applicable, unit and department deadlines differ.

Questions? Contact JuniorActivities@ALAforVeterans.org.

Fine Print:

Award submissions become property of the American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters. Through submission of reports and award entries, the submitter grants nonexclusive reproduction and publication rights to the materials submitted and agrees to have their names and submission published for ALA use or commercial use without additional compensation or permission.

Please fill out the information as completely and accurately as possible. Award certificates will be completed using the information given on this sheet, so please be sure to complete the electronic form in its entirety.

Please refer to the webpage for the specific criteria such as photographs, narrative length, submission deadline, and point of contact. All awards will be mailed to the department office after ALA National Convention. Department presidents may wish to recognize award recipients by presenting them with the award at a department function.