The Opal Mann Green Award
Congratulations to the 2023 Opal Mann Green Award Winner
Language & Life Project, led by Dr. Walt Wolfram and team Jeffrey Raeser, Neal Hutcheson, Danica Cullinan, Brody McCurdy and Lydia Elrod

- Using democracy in the classroom, in the community, and at home,
- Creating inclusionary teams, and
- Community-based learning and mutually-beneficial action around local issues valued by community members.
She exhibited these values throughout her career, family life, and community volunteer life. Dr. Opal Hurley Mann Green, former faculty member and leader at the county, state, and national level within Cooperative Extension, led an illustrious professional career spanning from 1943 to 1982, and then served as a community leader until 2009. Her lifelong teaching, leadership, and positive modeling to others was congruent with John Dewey’s ideas of democracy in education, and in the community.
Qualifying Characteristics
- Engagement. Describe how the team of primary leaders implemented the Kellogg Commission Engagement Seven Part Test in planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the program.
- Empowerment and Teamwork. Describe how you implemented (democratic) strategies that empowered team members, created inclusion, recognized contributions of partners, and negotiated democratically to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Describe how resource partnerships developed to support program sustainability and effectively address the issue or problem until resolved.
- Outcomes and Impact. Describe accomplishments that were beneficial, valued by the community, and that informed engagement academically (scholarly articles, presentations, and poster sessions).
Submission Guidelines and Evaluation Criteria
- Responsiveness
- Respect for Partners
- Academic neutrality
- Accessibility
- Integration
- Coordination
- Resource partnerships
Submissions: Submission may be made by those who observed the program or by the team who implemented the program. All documentation must be double-spaced, in 12-point font.
The application packet should follow the following outline:
Cover Page (1 page): Identify the project title, name of the principal contact person, address, phone number, email address, dates of the project, and listing the project partner units or entities.
Abstract (1 page): Summarize the program, partners, duration, and the significance to the university and the community. It should be a concise description that can be used on the award website, and in the awards program.
Narrative (up to 6 pages): Tell the story of your project and include the details of the people, partner entities, project duration, partnership relationships, and impacts and significance. Use the characteristics above as guide.
Appendix (up to 4 pages): This should include a summary listing of documentation to outline the impact of the project. This could include summaries of evaluations, news releases, citations of publications, and website addresses. A letter of endorsement from a community partner or consortium of partners must be included.
Past Winners
- 2022: Coastal Dynamics Design Lab
- 2021: Vacationer Supported Agriculture
- 2020: Northeast Leadership Academy
- 2019: Community Food Strategies
- 2018: The Community Counseling, Education, and Research Center
- 2017: North Carolina Food Youth Initiative
- 2016: North Carolina Food Youth Initiative
- 2015: VOLAR: Voluntarios Ahora en Raleigh
Voices into Action: The Families, Food, and Health Project
North Carolina Community Garden Partners - 2014: Sandhills SET Green Fields Initiative
Landscape Architecture (LAR) Design/Build Studio - 2013: Democratic Pathways to Change: Center for Family and Community Engagement
North Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force - 2012: Center for Environmental Farming Systems