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Nominate a Homegrown Hero

Homegrown Heroes is a blog that highlights the selfless actions and achievements made by local people, so it's a great place to congratulate a local teacher and to talk about the Citizen Service Before Self Honors. 

Citizen Service Before Self Honors MedalCitizen Service Before Self Honors is a national award presented to three United States citizens each year by the members of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society who themselves have received the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest and most prestigious award for valor.

Any American citizen can nominate a United States civilian who through "a singular act of extraordinary heroism or through a prolonged series of acts, clearly demonstrated a willingness to place his or her own life at risk for others. In all cases the actions being honored must epitomize the concept of "service above self" and must be performed "above and beyond" one's professional or vocational area of responsibility or conduct."

If you know someone who deserves this honor, you can nominate him or her by going to the website:  http://citizenservicebeforeselfhonors.org.  Nominations must be received by Friday, February 18, 2011.  The award presentation takes place on March 25, 2011 at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

Virginia BrinkerAnd speaking of Homegrown Heroes, I would like to acknowledge Virginia Brinker, a Regina High School teacher, who received the 'Rise Beyond the Horizon' Mel Miller Memorial Award from the Interfaith Center for Racial Justice in partnership with Macomb Intermediate School District. 

This award honors a teacher for serving as an advocate for social change and helping students 'rise beyond the horizon' in vision and in action as they become the future citizens of the world. 

Brinker will receive the award at the 2011 Martin Luther King Celebration Dinner on January 17, 2011 at 6:30 PM.

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