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The Beacon Award

What is the Beacon Award?

  • An award of recognition for exemplary educational experiences and other significant activities exposing young people to the Sherlock Holmes stories.
  • One award is granted each year.
  • Each Award consists of a:
  • Certificate suitable for framing
  • One-year Baker Street Journal (BSJ) subscription to a school/organization of the recipient's choice
  • Short feature on the recipient in the BSJ and/or the Serpentine Muse
  • Summary of the project on the Beacon Society website

Who can win a Beacon Award?

  • A person, scion society, or another organization can win a Beacon Award.
  • They must have made a significant contribution to exposing young people to the stories of Sherlock Holmes.
  • You cannot nominate yourself, but you can be nominated by anyone else.
  • Previous nominees (or winners) can be nominated again for:
    • Projects that have been nominated but not won
    • New projects

How do I nominate someone for a Beacon Award?

  • Nominations open October 1 and close on November 1 each year.
  • The nomination form asks for detailed information about the nominee and his/her/their activities, so we can compare the achievements of nominees. Once you complete the form, email it to Elaine Coppola.  
  • Note that the Awards Task Group has the right to reject a nomination that is frivolous, incomplete, or otherwise deemed inappropriate.
  • All nominations become the property of The Beacon Society and may be published on the Beacon website.

Who chooses the winner of the Beacon Award?

  • Members of the Beacon Awards Task Group
  • Members of the Beacon Society who ask to review final nominations
  • The only restriction on Beacon Society member voting is that a member cannot vote for himself/herself.

When are the winners of the Beacon Award announced?

  • The winner will be contacted in November.
  • The Beacon Award is presented at the annual meeting of the Beacon Society in New York City in January.
  • Winners do not have to be present at the award ceremony.