Carrie Chapman Catt Awards

DES MOINES – The Carrie Chapman Catt Award program, created and administered by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, encourages eligible high school senior students to register to vote. Secretary Pate recently announced that as part of the initiative, 4,737 high school students registered to vote across 60 counties during the 2024-2025 school year.

Established in 2019, the Carrie Chapman Catt Award was created by Secretary Pate to encourage voter registration in Iowa high schools. The prestigious Carrie Chapman Catt Award goes to Iowa schools that register at least 90 percent of their eligible students to vote, with schools also earning recognition for registered 70 percent and 50 percent of eligible students. Studies show that students who report being encouraged to vote or taught how to register to vote in high school are more likely to vote and be more invested in elections throughout their lifetimes.

To wrap up the 2024-2025 school year, Secretary Pate is celebrating the 120 schools that signed up to host voter registration drives and the 62 schools that received recognition as part of the award program.

• 40 schools registered at least 90% of eligible seniors, earning the Carrie Chapman Catt Award trophy

• 5 large schools (with more than 300 students) registered at least 100 eligible seniors, earning the Capitol Award trophy

• 8 schools registered at least 70% of eligible students, earning a banner award

• 9 schools registered at least 50% of eligible students, earning a certificate award

“It is a privilege to have a small part in instilling a sense of civic duty among Iowa’s high school students,” said Secretary Pate. “Registering to vote is the first step in ensuring you have the opportunity to exercise your fundamental right to vote, and I am thrilled to congratulate the almost 5,000 new registered voters who are establishing that they are not just leaders of tomorrow, but leaders already today.”

A full list of the 62 schools that are being recognized is available below.

A total of 40 schools are being recognized with a trophy for the Carrie Chapman Catt Award and registering at least 90% of eligible students to vote.

Four schools have qualified for the Carrie Chapman Catt Award for all six years (denoted with six asterisks******). Four schools qualified for the award for the fifth time (five asterisks*****), three schools qualified for the award for the fourth time (four asterisks****), eight schools for the third time, (three asterisks***), ten for the second time (two asterisks**), and 16 schools for the first time (one asterisk*). These schools include:

• Ames High School (Ames)*

• Ankeny Christian Academy (Ankeny)**

• Atlantic High School (Atlantic)* 

• Bettendorf High School (Bettendorf)*

• Bishop Garrigan High School (Algona)*****

• Camanche High School (Camanche)**

• Central Community High School (Central City)****

• Central Lyon High School (Rock Rapids)****

• Clayton Ridge High School (Guttenberg)*****

• Clear Creek Amana High School (Tiffin)**

• Denver High School (Denver)*

• Diagonal High School (Diagonal)***

• Dubuque Senior High School (Dubuque)***

• Edgewood-Colesburg High School (Edgewood)*

• Essex High School (Essex)***

• Fairfield High School (Fairfield)***

• Fremont Mills High School (Tabor)*** 

• Harlan High School (Harlan)***

• Hillcrest Academy High School (Kalona)*

• Holy Trinity Catholic School (Des Moines)**

• Hudson High School (Hudson)*

• Isaac Newton Christian Academy (Cedar Rapids)******

• Keota High School (Keota)**

• Lone Tree High School (Lone Tree)******

• Marion High School (Marion)*

• Marquette Catholic School (Bellevue)*****

• Martensdale St. Mary’s (Martensdale)***

• North Fayette Valley High School (West Union)*

• Norwalk High School (Norwalk)******

• South Central Calhoun High School (Lake City)*

• South Winneshiek High School (Calmar)*

• Tripoli High School (Tripoli)**

• Wahlert Catholic High School (Dubuque)*

• Wapello High School (Wapello)**

• Waterloo Christian Academy (Waterloo)***

• West Hancock High School (Britt)*

• West Harrison High School (Mondamin)** 

• West Marshall High School (State Center)****

• Woodward Granger High School (Woodward)*****

Schools with 300 or more students that registered at least 100 eligible students (5) also receive a trophy recognizing their achievement:

• East High School (Des Moines)*

• John F. Kennedy High School (Cedar Rapids)*

• Johnston Senior High School (Johnston)*

• Pleasant Valley High School (Bettendorf)**

• Waukee High School (Waukee) **

Schools that registered at least 70% of eligible students (8) will receive a commemorative banner recognizing their achievement:

• Dike-New Hartford High School (Dike)

• Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School (Reinbeck)

• Osage High School (Osage)

• Regina High School (Iowa City)

• Storm Lake St. Mary’s (Storm Lake)

• Turkey Valley Jr-Sr. High School (Jackson Junction)

• West Sioux High School (Hawarden)

• Westwood High School (Sloan)

Schools that registered at least 50% of eligible students (9) will receive a personalized certificate from the Iowa Secretary of State:

• Clarke High School (Osceola)

• Garner Hayfield Ventura High School (Garner)

• Grundy Center High School (Grundy Center)

• Highland High School (Riverside)

• Mid City High School (Davenport)

• Newman Catholic High School (Mason City)

• North Mahaska Jr. Sr. High (New Sharon)

• Northeast High School (Goose Lake)

• Xavier High School (Cedar Rapids)