Honoring Excellence in Schools as Centers of Community

Winning School to Receive a $10,000 Prize

The American schoolhouse is becoming something new and different at the beginning of the 21st century. The way students learn and teachers teach has evolved, and communities have increasingly moved away from the large, factory-era schools that defined K-12 education for the majority of the 20th century. What has emerged over the years is the growing recognition that schools should act as the center of the community.

Sometimes referred to as "community learning centers", schools that serve as centers of community provide a rich array of social, civic, recreational and artistic opportunities to the broader community, often clustering educational and municipal buildings together. These additional services and opportunities often improve student achievement and help maximize local tax dollars. With school enrollment in the United States forecasted to increase at record levels, and spending on school construction and renovation to total nearly $30 billion annually, it makes sense that this major investment should benefit both students and the local community.

The American Architectural Foundation, in partnership with KnowledgeWorks Foundation, invites you to enter a submission for the Richard Riley Award. If your school is a center of community that demonstrates innovative design ideas and helps promote student achievement, your school could win a $10,000 prize.

The award is named in honor of former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley, who led the way in the 1990's in promoting the concept of schools as centers of community.

Click here to download the 2008 Richard Riley Award Application All documentation must be submitted by e-mail to rileyaward@archfoundation.org or mailed to the attention of the Richard Riley Award, care of the American Architectural Foundation, 1799 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006. Email is highly preferred. AAF would be happy to answer any questions regarding your application. Please contact us by e-mail at rileyaward@archfoundation.org or by phone, 202.626.7318.