The william Ballard Award

Background: William B. (Bill) Ballard lived in Nashville at the time of his death (from an auto accident) on Saturday, August 25th, 1979. At that time, he was midway through his term as TAPS (as it was then called) Treasurer (1978-79 and 1979-80) and was employed in the Division of Psychology for the Metro-Nashville Schools. He had served the Nashville school system for 23 years, including 12 years with the psychological services division. He was a charter member of TAPS and had served as Membership Committee chair before becoming Treasurer. His involvement in school psychology and TAPS dates back to before 1970, and he was one of 12 persons who met in November 1970 to organize an association of school psychologists for the state of Tennessee. At its meeting of October 31, 1979, a memorial scholarship in the name of William Ballard was approved. The first scholarship was granted in Spring 1980 in Crossville at the TAPS meeting at Fairfield Glade. The first award was granted to the outstanding student at Ballard’s alma mater, Tennessee State University. The procedure was changed in 1997, whereby nominations were solicited from each training program, and a winner chosen by vote of the program representatives. In the Spring 2012, the TASP Board voted and accepted that the winner(s) be chosen by vote of TASP Board members in the Summer Board Meeting.  Additionally, the procedure was revised to include an award to a doctoral student and a separate non-doctoral student in one of the state's school psychology programs. More here. 

Procedures/Timeline for Soliciting Annual Ballard Award Nominees: Every existing training program is requested to submit one nominee each year, and the Ballard Award winner for that year will be selected from among those nominees. In the process of nomination and selection, each program is encouraged to involve students, as well as faculty. While only one overall winner each from both a doctoral and non-doctoral program (or more, in the case of ties) will be selected, all nominees will receive a certificate of recognition. The winner will receive a plaque/certificate, paid registration fee for the conference in which the award is presented, and a $100 cash award.