KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Awards
Nominations for exemplary social service frontline staff who serve Pinellas County children and families will be accepted through the deadline of July 25, 2025.
KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Awards recognize outstanding social services professionals who provide direct services and work tirelessly to put children first! Awardees receive a monetary award in the amount of $1,000 each, plus they are recognized via JWB’s social media, website, press releases, and PSAs. Awardees will also be publicly recognized during the JWB Annual KidsFirst Awards Luncheon on Friday, October 24, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at The Coliseum, 535 4th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL.
Please review the Nomination Criteria at the link below. Nominations are reviewed and ranked by an independent selection committee. Nominations submitted that meet criteria will remain in the running throughout the year.
To nominate a remarkable social services employee making a difference in the lives of Pinellas County children and families, complete and submit the online Nomination Form at the link below.
Thank you for helping us recognize and lift up exemplary frontline workers who are consistently putting KIDS FIRST!
KidsFirst Winners
Congratulations to last year’s 2024-2025 KidsFirst Cooperman-Bogue Award Winners for their life-changing work with Pinellas County children and families!
- Pilar Bradley | Preserve Vision Florida:Pilar is the Family Services Manager for Preserve Vision Florida, but her title falls short of capturing the heart, hustle, and humanity she brings to her work.
- Johanny Crisostomo | R’Club Child Care:For nearly two decades, infant and toddler teacher Johanny honed her skills and poured her heart into creating an environment where little ones can grow, thrive, and build the foundation for lifelong learning.
- Paul Kleeman | City of Clearwater Parks & Recreation: For U.S. Air Force veteran Paul Kleeman, what began as a short-term volunteer opportunity with the City of Clearwater’s out-of-school time program, has become his passion project.
- Gabriella Moran | Directions for Living: Gabriella is more than a trained behavior analyst for Directions for Living’s First Five program: she’s also a coach, counselor, and problem-solver for children, parents, and educators.
Sponsors
JWB would like to recognize and thank our sponsors. Thanks to their generosity, quarterly winners receive monetary awards to acknowledge their tireless work of always putting children first. Their contributions also help make possible an annual awards luncheon where all winners are honored.