2026 Design Exhibit and Awards
The Washington Chapter Polished Apple Award celebrates comprehensive projects, completed in the last 5 years, that address a detailed and specific planning process resulting in a facility that supports the educational goals of the district, the needs of a community and is student-centered for active and dynamic learning. In the state of Washington It addresses all components of the criteria in an exceptional manner.
Award Categories
Polished Apple Award: Awarded to the single most distinctive project, which best satisfies the criteria; one winner.
Awards of Merit: These awards recognize exceptional projects that were not the Polished Apple Award winner, but are deserving of recognition according to the criteria. Number of awards is at the Jury’s discretion, if any.
People’s Choice Award: Attendees at the awards ceremony will have the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award. The winner will receive the Merit Award level of recognition.
Award Types
- Trophy for the Polished Apple Award.
- Plaques for Awards of Merit.
- Certificate for People’s Choice Award.
- Awarded Projects will be showcased on the A4LE Washington Chapter website.
Exposure
A statewide promotional campaign will showcase your projects. Every project will receive the following benefits at no additional cost:
- Exposure at the Washington Chapter Awards Ceremony. This will be an offsite ticketed ceremony hosted in tandem with LearningSCAPES Seattle in November. Members of the conference will be invited to purchase a ticket to the event.
- Placement on the Chapter’s website.
- Hyperlinks to your own website.
- Winning project will be promoted on Chapter’s Social Media.
Pricing
| Polish Apple Award |
| Member 1 Project |
$400 |
| Member 2 Projects |
$700 |
| Member 3 Projects |
$900 |
| Non-Member 1 Project |
$500 |
| Non-Member 2 Projects |
$900 |
| Non-Member 3 Projects |
$1,200 |
Register
Registration Ends AND Submittal Materials Due: June 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
All projects submitted will be required to submit a 20x40 project display panel for the Award’s Ceremony. Pricing includes the display board.
Once registered, submit all submission requirements to https://a4le.awardsplatform.com
Step 1. Create an Account
Step 2. Start Entry >
- Category = Pacific Northwest Region
- Entry Name = Name of School / Project
- Organization = Submitting Firm
Step 3. Submit dossier and project requirements as specified below > Submit Entry
Submittal requirements for the Washington Chapter Polished Apple Awards program match those for the A4LE Planning & Design Awards. If you submitted for the 2026 James D. MacConnell Award and/or Project Awards, separate registration is required, but you do not need to re-upload your submission.
Timeline
| 2026 Key Dates |
| June 26 |
Registration Closes AND Submittal Materials Due |
| November |
Washington Chapter Awards Ceremony, Polished Apple Winner Named |
Core Values of the Association to be recognized and articulated in the dossier:
- Learners First: achieved by recognizing students as the ultimate beneficiaries of our work; demonstrated when planners, designers, builders, and school systems think first about the needs of students.
- Diversity: with the intent of fostering equity and inclusion, achieved by deliberately and authentically engaging all voices and perspectives; demonstrated when everybody’s ideas, suggestions, and recommendations are heard and valued.
- Innovation: achieved through the exploration of opportunities at the intersection of learning and place; demonstrated when the value of place in learning is recognized and our work strengthens learning for all through exceptional environments.
- Collaboration, Collegiality, Connection: achieved through the sharing of ideas, resources, and values; demonstrated when our members operate seamlessly across market sectors and geographic boundaries.
- Respect: achieved through recognition and acceptance of ideas, thoughts, and perspectives that differ from your own; demonstrated when a culture exists where new ideas and perspectives are embraced and welcomed.
- Place Matters: achieved through alignment of learning and place; demonstrated when the value of place in learning is recognized and our work strengthens learning for all through better environments.
Submittal Requirements and Scoring Criteria
Address the requirements below. Submit a PDF file dossier, not to exceed 25 pages. Include as many photographs and/or images as necessary to illustrate and describe the process and overall project.
Please avoid solicitation of any particular brand or firm involved in the project. Contents of each section are suggested to provide the jury adequate material to apply the scoring criteria.
All projects must have been completed within the last 5 years.
Online registration and identification of the following must be done prior to sending the application materials.
- Identify project (project name, location, district, configuration, etc.)
- Identify key firms / individuals of the process
Polished Apple Award Project Dossier
The dossier must include the following sections, clearly identified. Address and articulate Core Values of the Association throughout the dossier.
- Executive Summary—describe the overall goals and outcomes of the project
- Scope of Work and Budget
- School & Community Research and Engagement (25 points)
- Context
- Describe the Community.
- Identify stakeholders.
- Describe challenges.
- Describe available assets.
- Process
- Describe the visioning process for the project.
- Describe value of process and project to community at large.
- Describe how the engagement fostered diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Exhibits
- Include relevant portions of Visioning documents throughout the dossier.
- Process graphics and relevant diagrams are welcome.
- Physical Environment (25 points)
- Context
- Describe & illustrate the physical attributes of the environment, including building(s) and site.
- Describe & illustrate how the facility fits within the larger context of the community.
- Response
- Describe & illustrate how the project inspires and motivates.
- Describe innovative aspects of the physical environment.
- Describe how the physical environment fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Describe how the physical environment fosters sustainability and wellness.
- Exhibits
- Include site plan, floor plans and images.
- Educational Environment (25 points)
- Context
- Explain the educational vision and goals of the school.
- Response
- Describe & illustrate how the environment supports the curriculum.
- Describe & illustrate how the environment supports a variety of learning & teaching styles.
- Describe & illustrate how the environment is adaptable and flexible.
- Describe innovative aspects of the educational environment.
- Exhibits
- Include relevant portions of Educational Specifications throughout the dossier.
- Results (25 points)
- Explain how the project achieves educational goals and objectives.
- Explain how the project achieves school district goals.
- Explain how the project achieves community goals.
- Explain any unintended results and achievements of the process & project.
- Explain how the project provides value and good stewardship of financial resources.
- Summarize the project’s sustainability and wellness outcomes.
Signature Photo Submittal Requirements
Photo to be used in Award Show, Signage, and Website.
- Submit up to 3 signature high-resolution EPS or PDF of any projects and company logos.
Design Exhibit Submittal Requirements
Display for the Design Exhibit at Washington Chapter Awards Ceremony is included in the registration fee.
- Submit two PDF files of a 20x40 display (orientation may be vertical or horizontal); one with a company logo and one without.
- Name the files the project name with appendix as follows:
- ProjectName_Display.pdf
- Firm information may not be included
- School, District, Location may be identified
- This file will be used by the jury, in combination with the dossier
- ProjectName_Display_Logo.pdf
- Firm information and logo may be included
- School, District, Location should be identified
- This file will be used to print the display board for Washington Chapter Awards exhibit
- Graphics should illustrate the key components of the project.
- Boards can include text to tell the story and/or draw focus and attention to a particular component of the project.
- Include a brief description of the scope of project and budget.
- Photo Release Form. Please complete, sign, and include the photo release form in the submittal transmission. One release per project.
- Display boards will be identified at the Washington Chapter Awards Ceremony.