Who Gets the First Amendment Award? Nominate for 2022!

Tara Gunnigle and Jon Pearson of Webster, NH were our 2021 Honorees.

But who gets this award and why? The men, women, and organizations that comprise First Amendment Award recipients are as varied as are the students of the Nackey S. Loeb School. In each case, the judges look for those who have exercised their First Amendment rights in some meaningful way. Their causes are not always popular. Gail Cromwell and Donna Green fought their own school boards to bring important issues to light. 

Robert Azzi’s newspaper columns addresses some uncomfortable topics from a Muslim-American perspective. The New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union has defended many controversial causes. State Rep. Dan Hughes defied his House leadership so the public could know the public’s business. James Foley risked and then lost his life in order to report the plight of children in Middle East war zones.

Also posthumously honored was Veterans Administration Dr. William “Ed” Kois who risked his career to bring to light the poor treatment being provided to the men and women who have served our nation in the armed forces.

In a time when expressing one’s opinion or reporting objectively often risks ridicule, rejection, and even reprisals, the Nackey S. Loeb School is proud to underscore the importance of the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment.

UPDATE: Nominations are now closed for 2022. Please contact lsimoes@loebschool.org with any questions.