The Silver Knight Awards program is open to 12th-grade students in public, private and parochial schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties with a minimum 3.2 unweighted GPA. Class rank and /or percentile are no longer required. Only students with this academic requirement in addition to strong records of service to their school and community should be nominated. Students in vocational and adult centers must be nominated by the public high school to which they would be assigned by residence. Schools may nominate one student per category. Nominating students is the responsibility of each high school.

The essential qualification for a Silver Knight nominee is service. A Silver Knight is one whose record of service to the school and community best exemplifies an unselfish and continuous use of oneÂ’s talents in helping others. Service does not have to be related to a nomineeÂ’s category, but some achievements both in and out of the classroom must be related to the category. Judges evaluate community service especially during the full high school career, 9th through 12th grades. Nominees are evaluated based on the following criteria: service, achievements, character, leadership and interview skills. Two major factors to be weighed are consistency and lasting impact of service. Other factors include independent thinking, creative problem solving, leadership in getting others involved, and perseverance in overcoming obstacles. Most nominees will have a wide range of service activities.

Achievement in the school and community is another vital part of the Silver Knight profile, especially in qualifying a nominee for a specific category. The principalÂ’s signature on the Certification Form is considered sufficient documentation for school honors and awards. However, a nominee should use support documents to explain the significance of school awards. Major awards and achievements outside the school should be documented.

A student wishing to become a Silver Knight nominee must apply through the schoolÂ’s Silver Knight Coordinator appointed by the principal. The schoolÂ’s Silver Knight Coordinator is encouraged to proactively seek qualified nominees, working with teachers, guidance counselors and parents in this effort. The coordinator should also organize a committee to select nominees. A school may ask for assistance from The Miami Herald to determine an appropriate category for a nominee.

A student with a strong record of service may apply to become a nominee in more than one category, but the school may nominate that a student in only one category, if any. Some achievements both in and out of the classroom must be related to the category. However, service does not have to be related to the category. In General Scholarship, a student must submit a complete high school transcript, including class rank or percentile, test scores such as SAT and ACT, Advanced Placement exams and first semester grades for 12th grade.

Upon nominee selection Coordinators should enter list into website. Coordinators will be provided a user name to complete the nomination and application process on-line.