Bold Steps for Children &
Changemakers for Children Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Bold Steps for Children Award and the Changemaker for Children Awards! We invite community members, partners, and organizations to help us recognize local leaders who are making a meaningful difference in the lives of children across Santa Clara County. If you know an individual or organization whose collaborative efforts or lifelong commitment have created measurable, positive change for children, we encourage you to submit a nomination using the below form. Self‑nominations are also welcome! Recipients will be honored at the 2026 Annual Children’s Summit on Friday, April 17, at Villa Ragusa in Campbell. Nominations are due by March 17, 2026.
Award Winners
Each year Kids in Common recognizes individuals or organizations that have worked collectively to achieve measurable improvements for children, youth and families. Here are the winners over the years.
Children Awards - History
2024 Bold Steps for Children Award – Celebrating School Wellness Centers
2024 Changemakers for Children Award - Supervisor Cindy Chavez
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2023 Bold Steps for Children Award – Youth Liberation Movement
2023 Changemakers for Children Award - Elise Cutini, Kathleen King, Laura Garnett, Reymundo Espinoza, Sparky Harlan and posthumously, Julie Cates.
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2022 - Juvenile Justice Gender Responsive Task Force - Taking a Stand: Ending the Incarceration of Girls and Gender-Expansive Youth ​​
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2019 – Judge Patrick Tondreau – Leadership in Better Results for Youth in the Justice System
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2018 – SCC Board of Supervisors - for steps taken to organize and fund support for our community’s immigrant children and families
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2017 – Californians for Justice – youth organized to demand that the State Dept. of Education include social/emotional and school climate measures in the state dashboard for schools.
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2016 – Partners Promoting Universal Developmental Screening - FIRST 5, Gardner, SCC Behavioral Health, SCCOE, SCC HHS, Sup. Ken Yeager
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2015 – Juvenile Justice Systems Partners
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2014 – Family Engagement Leaders – CommUniverCity, Franklin McKinley Children’s Initiative, Grail Family Services
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2013 – Yerba Buena High School - for reducing school suspensions
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2012 – YMCA/Project Cornerstone
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2011 – Adobe Youth Voices
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2010 – Bob Kirkwood  & Partners Developing Alternatives to Foster Care
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2009 – Applied Materials - for investing strategy that helped to improve school outcomes and worked with schools and PACT and others to focus investments on key levers for change
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2008 – The Children’s Health Initiative – Collaborative that made it possible for all children in SCC to have health insurance (leading the state)