The Heroes of the Heart® Awards Program is a national recognition program that identifies inspirational individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to enrich the lives of others. The Heroes of the Heart® Awards Program is celebrated in schools across the country. The program also includes two scholarships:
The Christopher Reeve Award and The Gee Whiz Kids® Award.
The Christopher Reeve Award
The Heart of America Foundation® Christopher Reeve Award is presented
each year to an extraordinary youth who has demonstrated tremendous courage, compassion and caring
in serving his or her community. Award recipients
receive a $1,000 scholarship for post secondary education.
Congratulations to our 2010 Christopher Reeve Award Recipient Mary Claire McGlynn from Belleville, Illinois!
Learn more about how Mary Claire makes a difference in our world.
Learn how to nominate a hero for The Christopher Reeve Award. | Award Application (Word doc)
Past Christopher Reeve Award Recipients.
Heroes of the Heart® Gee Whiz Kids® Award
The Gee Whiz Kids® Award is a category of the Heroes of the Heart® Award program designed to honor exemplary children age 12 and under, who represent the best of their schools and communities, the true heart of America.
Nominate a child for The Gee Whiz Kids® Award.
Congratulations to our 2010 Gee Whiz Kids® Award Recipients
1st Place - Alexander from Lee’s Summit, MO
2nd Place - Anthony from Columbia, SC
3rd Place - Marlee from Saginaw, MI
Behind the Award
Marilyn Perlyn, author of the children's book
The Biggest and Brightest Light,
provides a scholarship for each Gee Whiz Kids® Award recipient.
 Illustrated by Marilyn Perlyn’s daughter, Amanda, this heartwarming true story gives children a real understanding of the feelings that come from giving. A portion of the proceeds from this book are donated to The Heart of America Foundation®. Order
Marilyn's book.
Marilyn Perlyn is also the creator of The OCHO Project (Opportunities for Children to Help Others), a character building and literary based service-learning program “dedicated to exposing children to the joys of reading while teaching them that, through reading, they can help others less fortunate than themselves.” Learn more about The OCHO Project and how you can get involved.
Past Gee Whiz Kids Award Recipients |
