The MDTA Distinguished Service Award was established in 1982, and renamed the MDTA James Graupner Distinguished Service Award by the organization in 1994.
This award is given to debate coaches or other distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions to education in general and to debate students in particular. This award is not required to be presented each year, but granted judiciously so as to maintain its special significance.
Nominations are to be made, accompanied by a written rationale, through an MDTA newsletter ballot. The Awards Committee shall review all nominations and forward appropriate names to the MDTA President. A maximum of 3 names and a minimum of 0 names can be forwarded to the President. The President shall prepare a ballot, which shall be distributed to all past recipients of this award for their vote. An individual may receive this award only once.
| 2019 | Zach Prax | Eastview High School |
| 2018 | Conrad Anderson | South St. Paul High School |
| 2017 | Ross Eichele | Eagan High School |
| 2015 | Peter Nikolai | |
| 2013 | John Fogarty | Cannon Falls High School |
| 2010 | Pam Wycoff | Apple Valley High School |
| 2009 | DJ Brynteson | Robbinsdale Armstrong & Cooper High School |
| 2008 | Cort Sylvester | Rosemount High School |
| 2007 | Joe & Lynn Schmitt | Edina High School |
| 2005 | Chris McDonald | Eagan High School |
| 2003 | Gail Sarff | Wayzata High School |
| 2001 | Todd Hering | Eastview High School |
| 2000 | John Fisher | Mounds View High School |
| 1999 | Wanda Manther | Rosemount High School |
| 1998 | Mike Vergin | Eagan High School |
| 1997 | Barbara Kersten | Roseville Area High School |
| 1996 | Helen Fisk | St. Paul Academy & Summit School |
| 1995 | Lee Alto | Grand Rapids High School |
| 1994 | Dorothy Sunne | Forest Lake High School |
| MDTA Distinguished Service Award Recipients | ||
| 1993 | Randy Keillor | St. Francis High School |
| 1992 | Harlan Shuck | Moorhead High School |
| 1991 | James Graupner | Stillwater High School |
| 1990 | Scott Nobles | Macalester College |
| 1989 | Donus Roberts | Watertown High School |
| 1988 | Kathy Pomroy | Kellogg High School |
| 1987 | Bob Ihrig | Mankato West High School |
| 1986 | Carl Lehmann and Richard Stanford | (Northern States Power) |
| 1985 | Ray Kolbe | Lakeville High School |
| 1984 | Tom Stolen | Duluth Denfeld High School |
| 1983 | Ruth Westrom | St. Anthony Village High School |
| 1982 | Jim Seeden | Minneapolis South High School |