Book Earns Second National First-Place Award in 2026

Dr. Mel Tavares Wins Big in St. Charles, Missouri

Dr. Mel Tavares' book named Golden Scroll Christian Education Book of the Year after first-place Christian Indie Award

MIDDLETOWN, CT, UNITED STATES, August 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Make Families Great Again by Connecticut author, speaker, and youth and family advocate Dr. Mel Tavares has earned its second first-place honor of 2026, making the book a double award winner in the Christian publishing industry.

Tavares received the 2026 Golden Scroll Award for Christian Education Book of the Year during the August 2 Golden Scroll Awards banquet at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri. Presented by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), the awards recognize excellence among Christian authors and speakers.

The honor comes just months after Make Families Great Again received First Place in the Parenting category at the 2026 Christian Indie & Small Press Awards in Alabama in March.

Published by Simply Right Press, Make Families Great Again examines cultural forces shaping today's children and teens and challenges parents, grandparents, and others who influence young people to become intentional about strengthening families and passing faith and values to future generations.

“This second first-place award is especially meaningful because it affirms the importance of the message,” Tavares said. “Our families are facing tremendous cultural pressures. Make Families Great Again sounds the trumpet—we need to understand what is shaping this generation and become intentional about what we are building into the next one.”

A Week of Publishing, Media and Professional Connections
The award capped a week in St. Charles that included the AWSA Conference, Golden Scroll Awards and three-day Christian Product Expo (CPE). AWSA brings together professional authors and speakers whose work reaches audiences nationally and internationally. Its conference provides opportunities to hone writing and speaking skills while learning about technology advancements and industry trends.

Tavares served as an emcee during a portion of the AWSA conference, where worship was led by two-time Dove Award-winning singer, songwriter, author and speaker Babbie Mason. At CPE, Tavares connected with Christian retailers, publishers and media professionals from across the country, distributed signed copies of Make Families Great Again and discussed the book's message with industry leaders. The CPE event celebrated America250 throughout the week.

The week also generated several media opportunities. Tavares was interviewed by Paul Ladd, senior correspondent with World Christian Radio; Dr. Rose Gamblin, producer of Homeschool Companion; and Bob Crittenden, host of Faith Radio's The Meeting House. She also participated in a roundtable discussion for the television program Radical Abundance. The interviews are expected to air during August.

Film producer Julie Castro also interviewed Tavares for her upcoming movie, I Am Life, scheduled to premiere in select U.S. cities in early 2027.
The conversations support Tavares' growing Family Legacy Builders™ initiative, which equips families to intentionally build stronger relationships, deeper faith and lasting legacies across generations.

Additional First-Place Recognition
The week brought another distinction for Tavares in her role as Editor-in-Chief of Arise Daily, AWSA's digital daily devotional platform. Arise Daily received the Evangelical Press Association's Award of Excellence, a first-place honor recognizing the work of its editorial team and contributing writers.

About Dr. Mel Tavares
Dr. Mel Tavares is an award-winning author, speaker, editor and family advocate. Named the 2025 AWSA Member of the Year, she has an extensive background in counseling, education, writing and publishing and brings both professional experience and a real-world understanding of the complexities families face today. She is the author of multiple books, event speaker, and founder of Family Legacy Builders™. Dr. Mel resides in Connecticut's River Valley with her husband, Joe. She is Mom to seven and Grandma to eleven.

For the complete list of 2026 Golden Scroll Award recipients, visit the official AWSA Golden Scroll Awards press release: https://funnel1.goldenscrollawards.com/golden-scroll-press-release-2026

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