Since 1938, the Ten Outstanding Young Americans (TOYA) program has honored hundreds of exceptional young leaders between the ages of 18 and 40. Nominations for the 2027 class of honorees are open now through February 28th, 2027 – don’t miss your chance to help shape the next chapter of JCI USA’s longest running program!
Program Background
Administered by JCI USA, TOYA recognizes Americans who exemplify excellence across diverse fields – from science and entrepreneurship to military service, philanthropy, and the arts. The first class of honorees included the likes of Howard Hughes, Orson Welles, and Dr. George Gallup. The program went on to recognize important figures in American history, including John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and Jesse Jackson.
Fast forward to this year, and the 2026 honorees were celebrated recently at the 2026 Annual Meeting, taking place in Virginia Beach this September. This inspiring group’s achievements ranged from innovative nonprofit leadership, mental health advocacy, military accomplishments and more.
Also announced this fall, Kenneth Smith, a 2025 TOYA honoree, has been selected as one of the 2026 Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World! TOYP is administered by JCI, with nominations submitted from countries across the globe. Kenneth will be recognized for this honor at World Congress, taking place in November in Clark, Philippines.
For more details on the historical significance of TOYA & the latest group of honorees, be sure to check out the TOYA page of the JCI USA website.
What’s New for 2027?
The nomination process for the TOYA program in 2027 will look a bit different than previous years! The initial nomination form has been condensed, so that nominators do not need to know the individual personally or contact them for the details needed.
Instead, anyone inside or outside of JCI can submit the nomination form, and the TOYA Committee & JCI USA staff will then review submissions and reach out to nominees for the additional information. This also allows the committee to confirm the nominee’s interest in attending JCI USA’s 2027 Annual Meeting in person to receive the award, taking place in Grand Rapids, MI, September 28th-October 3rd, 2027.
Once the additional information is received, the full nomination can be passed along to the judges to make the final decisions on who will be recognized as the 2027 class of TOYA honorees.
Nominate Someone Today
If you know someone inspiring between the ages of 18 and 40, we want to hear about them! Multiple submissions are allowed, and you do not have to be a JCI member to nominate someone. The nomination form will close after February 28th, 2027.
Click here to access the nomination form; any questions can be directed to the TOYA committee at toya@jciusa.org. Here’s to another year of recognizing exceptional young leaders!