Awards and Scholarships

SNA Member Awards

SNA celebrates members who work every day to ensure well-nourished students across the country are prepared for success. Nominate an employee, manager, and/or director you know to be recognized for all of their great contributions!

There are SNA awards to recognize every member type:

  • Employee of the Year Award  

  • Manager of the Year Award, in honor of Louise Sublette

  • Director of the Year Award

  • The Friendship Award: A commemorative plaque will be presented to a “Friend of School Food Service” who has promoted child nutrition programs, helped the Association, created programs or just gone out of their way to make sure that school food service programs continue so children are well fed and nourished to have a healthy start on life.  This award can be presented to non-members, i.e., food purveyors, superintendents, custodians, senators, representatives, teachers, etc.   Do you have anyone in mind?  Send us your nomination with small paragraph of why you are nominating them to [email protected]    We'd love to recognize any friend of SFS who continually promotes our program or goes out of their way to show what a great profession we are in.

  • Send your nomination to NMSNA President, Hollie Valenzuela  hvalenzuela@[email protected]

Individuals may be nominated by peers, staff, colleagues, or supervisors for these awards. All nominees must be SNA members who hold a SNA Certificate in School Nutrition or the SNS credential throughout the entire awards nomination and judging process.

Nominations are due online or to the State President by March 1st of each year for Director, Manager or Employee of the Year.*

Friends of the Association nominations are accepted through May 15th in order to be recognized at our State Conference.

https://schoolnutrition.org/resources/awards-scholarship/

Scholarships Available

The NMSNA is here for our members and love giving back to our membership. Apply for the Annual State Scholarship which is available to help you or your district defray the costs of attending the Annual State Conference by paying your registration fee. Request the application form to apply by April 15th by emailing Janet Sanchez, NMSNA Executive Director at [email protected]   One winner will be selected and notified by May 1st and will be recognized at the State Conference in June.

You must be a current member and must have been employed with any SNP for at least one year.  Request and return form by due date, April 15th.  We hope to see you there!!

Lyman Graham Scholarship.  Awardee attends LAC in Washington, DC in March.  Must be a member and a first-time attendee.  Submit an essay on why advocating for Student Nutrition Programs is important.  Submit your essay to [email protected]  with NMSNA no later than November 15th.  Awardee will be notified first week in December.

Be sure to check out all the available scholarships offered to members from the National School Nutrition Association at schoolnutrition.org.  Go to resources and select awards and scholarships.

Education Resources

HTTPS://SCHOOLNUTRITION.ORG/RESOURCES/AWARDS-SCHOLARSHIP/

Accepting nominations for SNA Awards.

Director of the Year 2026

Manager of the Year 2026

Employee of the Year 2026

New Mexico has some exceptional employees, managers and Directors.  Submit your nomination today.

Nominations are due by MARCH 1, 2026.