ALAN’s 2024 recipient of the Bill Konigsberg Award for Acts and Activism for Equity and Inclusion through Literature is Jason Westra-Hall!
Meet Jason Westra-Hall, our newest Bill Konigsberg Award winner, from Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Michigan! Mr. Westra-Hall is an English teacher who is also a Model UN advisor, the head of his school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and is the leader of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Professional Learning Committee, where he guides other teachers in promoting those ideals. He is also the representative at-large for the Michigan Council of Teachers of English. Through his work both in and out of the classroom, Jason supports his students through academics and extracurriculars, giving his students a safe space in which to feel that they belong. We are proud to bestow this award on such a champion for LGBTQIA+ youth!
The Konigsberg Award, established in 2018, is presented annually to an individual who has acted in selfless advocacy of marginalized youth through the creation, teaching, funding or other form of promotion of young adult literature. This award was initiated to recognize individuals standing up for groups of young people who are victimized by hate speech or actions. For wielding the power of young adult literature with thought and intention to make the world a better place, the winner will be recognized at the ALAN Breakfast.
To learn more about the award and see past winners, visit https://alan-ya.org/awards/the-konigsberg-award/.