MiSHCA hosts the presentation of the Harrison Award. This award is selected and presented by the Michigan Model for Health State Steering Committee.
The Harrison award is given in recognition to honor individuals who have made a significant and lasting contribution to school health education in Michigan. The Michigan Model for Health State Steering Committee has given this recognition annually (with exception of 2014-2017) since 1988 when Dr. James T. Harrison was recognized for his distinguished service and commitment to school health.
Dr. Harrison championed the first legislative appropriation in 1983 that created the concept of making available to every school; age appropriate, sequential, skill building comprehensive school health education through the Michigan Model for Comprehensive School Health Education. As the Chief Medical Officer for the then Michigan Department of Public Health, he resided over the Michigan Model State Steering Committee as the first chairperson for five years.
Past awardees are listed below by year:
2021 | Amy Wassmann | Saginaw Intermediate School District |
2020 | Amy Zaggman | Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health |
2019 | Mary Beno | Livingston Educational Service Agency |
Cheryl Blair | Kent Intermediate School District | |
2018 | Taryn Mason | Cooper County Mental Health Services Institute |
2013 | Beverly Schroeder | Ottawa Area Intermediate School District |
2012 | Mariane Fahlman | Wayne State University |
2011 | Patti Steele | Macomb Intermediate School District |
2010 | Betsy Pash | Michigan Department of Community Health |
2009 | Martha Neilsen | Retired from the Michigan Department of Education & Eaton Intermediate School District |
2008 | Kathy Gibson | Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency |
2007 | Dr. Jim O’Neill | Madonna University |
2006 | Wendy Sellers | Eaton Intermediate School District |
2005 | Steve Sukta | Jackson Intermediate School District |
2004 | Laurie Bassett | Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District |
2003 | Paula Nettleton | Education Materials Center, CMU |
2002 | Don Sweeney | Michigan Department of Community Health |
2001 | Michigan Model Health Coordinators | |
2000 | Pat Nichols | Michigan Department of Education |
1999 | Loren Bensley | Central Michigan University (retired Health Ed. Professor) |
1998 | Barbara Bates | Oakland Intermediate School District |
Roy Peterson | Mott Children’s Health Center | |
1997 | Anne Hansen | Michigan Department of Education |
1996 | Jean Chabut | Michigan Department of Community Health |
1995 | Wanda Jubb | CDC (previously MDE) |
1994 | Mary Ann George | Rivertown Consultants |
1993 | Betty Tableman | MI Department of Mental Health |
1992 | Rick Murdock | MI Department of Management and Budget |
1991 | Robert Harris | Michigan Department of Community Health |
1990 | Grace Tasker | Dairy Council of Michigan |
1989 | Marty Doring | Bay Arenac ISD |
1988 | James T. Harrison | Michigan Department of Public Health |

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