The short list of nominees for the 2013 Bammy Awards has been announced! Mucho thanks to the Council of Peers members who took the time to vote and select the candidates. It's always fascinating to see who was selected. Some choices seem obvious, but there are always surprises and this year was no different. Candidates span the continuum from the renowned to the "who?" As always, some categories, like elementary school teachers and education bloggers, were much more active than others. A few categories, like afterschool program directors and school business officials, had insufficient nominees and votes to qualify so the categories were cancelled for 2013.

Overall, the qualifying candidates represent a pretty diverse and interesting cross-section of the education village and reading the nominations tells a pretty compelling story about what's right with American education. It's worth noting that some nominations were submitted with very cogent and substantive stories that described the nominee's work, contributions and overall impact in the field. Others took the "eloquence of brevity" to new levels, with a simple sentence or two about what a wonderful educator the nominee is. I suspect the richer, more fleshed-out descriptions make a difference.

We are excited that 23 categories made the cut (one more than last year) and again thank all of you who took time to participate. Despite the prevailing national narrative on education and educators, there's another narrative that cannot be denied. There is a cadre of passionate, committed, forward-looking educators who are doing extraordinary work in this field under withering conditions, that would send many of us running for the exits. However, these educators are leveraging technology to self-organize, share practices and amplify their voices. Their impact and influence is growing at an amazing rate and we're confident that a tipping point is on the horizon. Many of the Bammy Award nominees are in the vanguard of this transformation and we're delighted to help recognize and celebrate their contributions. We know that one day their work and their voices will eclipse the prevailing narrative.

Not totally sure why I love crusading for underdogs; perhaps it comes from knowing what it's like to be one. One thing is certain: few things are as moving as watching a person who has been long discounted and undervalued finally get the acknowledgement and recognition he or she deserves. Looking forward to seeing those faces again in September!

Here is the full list of finalists.

Here is the press release.