Jefferson Awards Co-Founder, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. presenting Award to Watergate hero Peter Rodino in the original U.S. Supreme Court, with Sam Beard presiding. 1975
First Lady Barbara Bush welcomes Jefferson Awards student honorees in the White House. 1989
Public Service Awards
Visit the Jefferson Awards Website at: www.jeffersonawards.org
U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton and Sam Beard congratulating the 2007 Jefferson Awards winners. 2007
Many things in life are accidental. Because I worked with Bobby Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy Onassis was kind to me. I would see her once or twice a year. At a cocktail party Jackie made a mistake. She told me, "Sam, you energetic and filled with good ideas. What are you thinking about?"
"I told her that I thought there should be a Nobel Prize for public service in America." She enthusiastically talked about how President Kennedy and herself tried to get the best people into their administration. They knew the spirit of America was carried out by volunteers in neighborhoods. I called her the next morning, and she agreed to be the founding co-chair. Senator Robert Taft, Jr.'s brother Lloyd was working with me at NDC. Senator Taft became our co-chair, and we formed the Jefferson Awards.
Supreme Court Justice and Sam Beard welcome Jefferson Award winner Paul Newman to the U.S. Supreme Court. 1994
We started small. In 1975, an early national ceremony was held in the original Supreme Court under the dome in the U.S. Capitol building, with 60 people attending. Today, we have 155 television stations and newspapers that work with us honoring grassroots unsung heroes. We reach over 100 million Americans.
Academy Award winning Ellen Burstyn and Sam Beard honor Jefferson Award honoree Peyton Manning. 2006
Beginning in 2003, we turned the Jefferson Awards into a "Call for Action" to multiply volunteering and community service in local communities and schools.
“Anyone can make a difference.
Everyone should try.”
