CUBE Awards

The nomination process for the 2024 Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award and the CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence is closed. The 2024 winners are listed below. If you have questions about the 2025 nomination process, please email memberservices@nsba.org. 

CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence

The CUBE Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence focuses on school board governance, highlighting school boards that are showing growth, innovation through policy, and an eagerness to be exemplars to other urban boards. School boards will be judged on a variety of measures across four core areas of urban school board governance: 

• School Board Performance
• Academic Improvement
• Educational Equity
• Community Engagement

Presented annually by CUBE, this award is open to the leadership team of any current CUBE district in good standing.

Past Winners

2024: South Bend Community School Corporation (IN)
2023: Ferguson-Florissant School District (MO)
2022: Seattle Public Schools (WA)
2021: Richland One (SC) and Shelby County Schools (TN) 
2020: Shelby County Schools (TN)
2019: Hillsborough County School District (FL)
2018: Jennings School District (MO), Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (NC), Fort Worth ISD (TX)
2017: Pittsburgh Public Schools (PA), Shelby County Schools (TN), Lancaster Independent School District (TX)

The Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award

The Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the educational needs of urban school children through their service as a local school board member. Presented annually by CUBE, this award is open to any current or former school board member from a current CUBE district in good standing.

The award is named for Benjamin Elijah Mays, who joined the Atlanta Board of Education in 1969 and served as its president from 1970-1981. During his tenure on the board, Mays worked tirelessly to provide equal educational opportunities for children. He is also remembered for his outstanding leadership and service as a scholar, teacher, minister, mentor, author, and civil rights activist.

Past Winners

2024: William Turner, Metropolitan School District of Washington Township (IN)
2023: Dr. Jonathan Hodges, Paterson Board of Education (NJ)
2022: Joyce Wilkerson, Philadelphia (PA)
2021: No Award Given
2020: Rodney Jordan, Norfolk (VA)
2019: Deena A. Hayes, Guilford County (NC)
2018: Cardell C. Patillo, Jr., Portsmouth (VA)
2017: Vince Ford, Columbia (SC) & Dr. Steve Gallon, Miami (FL)
2016: Cheryl D. Mayes, Nashville (TN)
2015: Curtis T. Walker, Minister of Beth-El A.M.E. Zion Church in Cleveland, OH
2014: Lock Beachum (OH)
2014: Dr. Elizabeth Daniels (VA) - award posthumously
2013: Jerrelle Francois, Baltimore (MD)
2012: Dr. Joseph A. Buck, Savannah Chatham County (GA)
2011: Ms. Eva Carrillo Dong, Tucson (AZ)
2010: Mr. Henry J. Godfrey, Hampton (VA)
2009: Dr. John Harding Lucas, Sr., Durham (NC)
2008: Dr. Ulysses Van Spiva, Virginia Beach (VA)
2007: Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, Atlanta (GA) – awarded posthumously