The office of Parents and Families Services has chosen the winner for the 12th annual Family of the Year Award.

Family of the Year is awarded by the Office of Parents and Families Services.  Students can nominate their family through an essay contest.  The Family of the Year award is considered a tradition at Parents and Families weekend.  According to Parents and Families Services, the award is intended to celebrate the supportive roles families play in the lives of students and the University community. 

Since 1999, the University has recognized one special family each year, according to Bell.

“By acknowledging a family of the year, we’re recognizing the values of student’s families,” Bell said. “It is way to say thanks to all our students’ families for being so supportive, and because it gives an opportunity for students to host their parents to campus, giving their families Wolfpack spirit.”

Danielle Maness, a senior in psychology, was chosen out of 25 entries to be the winner for the 2010 Family of the Year award.

Maness said she wanted people to know what her family has done for her.

“I didn’t believe it,” Maness said. “I was just doing something for them in return and I didn’t expect to win. I just really wanted to write about my family.”

Jennifer Bell, director of Parents and Families Services said the applicants are judged based on criteria and examples of the family support for the student’s education.

“At some point, she went through a time of crisis in her life in college and that was the biggest example she shared with us,” Bell said. “Her family was a key by helping her through that process.”

Laci Weeden, assistant director for the Office of Parents and Families Services said in her essay, Maness described how she has her biological family and her N.C. State family of the faculty and staff.

“Maness talked about how she has support from two families: her biological family and her N.C. State family who are the faculty and staff that supported to help her push on and be what she can be,” Weeden said.

In her application essay, Maness described her family’s support and enthusiasm for the University, according to a press release.

Weeden said in her essay, Maness said that people think her mom is an N.C. State alumna because she wears NCSU attire everywhere she goes.  Also in her essay, Maness said her brother always expects University clothes for Christmas.

“Her great uncle, who died when she was 13, was a huge N.C. state fan and she wrote about his drive and motivation to help her,” Weeden said. “People aren’t aware of how important family is to students and how family plays such a key role in student’s lives.”

Maness’ family makes sure she has everything she needs, according to Maness.

“I do pageants, so when it is time for a pageant, everybody is helping and raising money and they just love me,” Maness said.

Bell said family is defined in all different shapes and forms.

“Danielle is recognizing her mother and her brother.  She is also is recognizing her grandmother and her uncle,” Bell said.

Maness and her family will be recognized with a presentation during Parents and Families Weekend at the Virginia Tech football game Saturday, according to Weeden.  Chancellor Randy Woodson and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tom Stafford will present Maness family with a commemorative plaque, a class ring, and a $500 book scholarship.

“This is a good way to thank your family and we want to make sure that those families get recognized,” Weeden said. “People at the football game will realize the importance of what a family member could mean to a student success.”

This is the first year the office of Parents and Families Services is recognizing a second and third place winner, which they’ll announce at Saturday’s football game.

“We wanted to make sure those students and their families also get recognized,” Weeden said.

Maness’ family will be attending Parents and Families weekend, which will take place Oct. 1-3. This year’s Parents and Families Weekend will consist of a comedy show, a service project and a Sunday brunch with keynote speaker Debbie Yow.