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American Montessori Society (AMS) Recognition Award Recipients

Educators » Community

AMS Recognition Award Recipients

Celebrating the individuals whose contributors have made a lasting impact on AMS and the Montessori Movement.

Each year, the American Montessori Society recognizes individuals whose leadership, service, innovation, and dedication have helped move Montessori forward. Explore current and past recipients of the AMS Recognition Awards and celebrate their contributions to our community.

Interested in nominating someone for an AMS Recognition Award? Learn about the 2028 awards and submit a nomination.

AMS Living Legacy Award

Each year, the American Montessori Society Living Legacy Award honors an individual for their lifetime of dedication and service to AMS and the Montessori Movement. While recipients of other AMS recognition awards may have made an impact in just one area, the Living Legacy has had several if not many impactful roles in Montessori; for example, as a school or program administrator, teacher, author, researcher, mentor, presenter, lobbyist, union steward, education activist, board director, committee or commission member, and/or community leader.

Since the inception of this award in 1993, the Living Legacy honoree has played a critical role in helping to raise monies for AMS Teacher Education Scholarships, such as by serving as an inspiring speaker for fundraising events created for this purpose. The Living Legacy also delivers an address at AMS’s annual conference, The Montessori Event.

Your donation in honor of the Living Legacy supports a cherished AMS practice: the awarding of scholarships to aspiring Montessori educators at AMS-affiliated teacher education programs.

Recipients

  • 2008: Betsy Coe
  • 2007: Dottie Sweet Feldman
  • 2006: Aline D. Wolff
  • 2005: Celma Pinho Perry
  • 2004: Bretta Weiss Wolff
  • 2003: Sr. Anne McCarrick
  • 2002: Sr. Anthonita Porta
  • 2001: Ruth Corey Selman
  • 2000: Carole Wolfe Korngold
  • 1999: Beverly A. McGhee
  • 1998: Margaret Farmer
  • 1997: Joy Starry Turner
  • 1996: Margaret Loeffler
  • 1995: Effie Weinberg
  • 1994: Virginia Varga
  • 1993: Sr. Carolina Gomez del Valle

Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch Award

AMS recognizes individuals who have made significant advances in raising the profile of Montessori education through this annual award. It is named in honor of education visionary Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch, whose vigorous efforts were vital to the founding of AMS and the growth of the Montessori Movement. 

Recipients

  • 2021: Mary Schneider
  • 2020: Roslyn D. Williams, posthumously
  • 2019: Martha McDermott
  • 2018: Marlene Barron
  • 2017: John J. McDermott and Virginia Hennes

Douglas M. Gravel Benefactor Award

AMS acknowledges those whose generosity has contributed to the sustainability and growth of the organization through an annual award named in honor of the late Douglas M. Gravel, one of AMS’s most consistent and generous benefactors. Doug, along with his wife, Maria Gravel, provided strong and unwavering support to the American Montessori Society from its earliest days. 

Recipients

  • 2021: MaryEllen Kordas
  • 2020: Kathy Roemer
  • 2019: Judith McCartin Scheide
  • 2018: Karen Kenison
  • 2017: Elizabeth Bronsil

Montessori Innovator Award

This annual award honors up-and-coming individuals for their original and inventive contributions to the practice and experience of Montessori education. Recipients demonstrate mastery of the delicate task of introducing new ideas/approaches while remaining ever true to the philosophy and practice as articulated by Dr. Montessori. Learn more about how AMSHQ is practicing innovation every day.

Recipients

Dr. Maria Montessori Ambassador Award

This award honors individuals who, through their work in a variety of arenas such as the arts, sports, government, and higher education, are fostering a landscape in which Montessori education cannot only thrive, but flourish.

Recipients

Watch Léa Todorov’s Acceptance Speech from 2026

“I focus on the early years of Maria Montessori’s professional life while she was working with special needs children in Istituto Ortofrenico in Rome around the year 1900. At that time, she was also a strong-headed feminist. I thought it was important to put light on that period of her life because the fights she at that time fought seems to me very important still today. And I hope my film, and this award, help to bring as much light as possible on those important values that she conveyed at the time.”

Community Service Award

Recognizing the Lifelong Commitment of Marie M. Dugan

AMS Community Service awards honor outstanding volunteers and recognize the impact they have made to AMS.

Recipients

See our latest awards announcement