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Press Release Contact: Sarah Loughlin, Communications Specialist National School Public Relations Association 301-519-1221 I sloughlin@nspra.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EIGHT SCHOOL DISTRICTS EARN TOP SCHOOL COMMUNICATIONS AWARD
ROCKVILLE, MD. (June 7, 2023) – The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) is pleased to announce that eight Gold Medallion winners were selected from among 66 entries submitted by communication professionals from school districts across the United States and Canada. NSPRA’s Gold Medallion Awards program is the field's top competition that recognizes superior educational public relations programs and campaigns grounded in strategic communication best practices.
Entries were submitted in six categories, but only four of those categories had a winner. The following school districts and their communications staff were named a 2023 NSPRA Gold Medallion recipient:
Bond/Finance Campaign
Stability and Excellence for Our Future: Eden Prairie Schools Referendum 2022 Eden Prairie Schools Eden Prairie, Minn. Submitted by: Grace Becker, Director of Marketing and Communications, Dirk Tedmon, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications and Brandon Mitchell, Multimedia Storyteller
Building a Better Future Osseo Area Schools Maple Grove, Minn. Submitted by: Kay Villella, APR, Director of School/Community Relations and Chelsea Janke, CEL Marketing PR Design
Marketing Communication Campaign
Calling All Kindergarteners Peoria Unified School District Glendale, Ariz. Submitted by: Danielle Airey, APR, Chief Communications Officer, Erin Dunsey, Communications Manager, Sara Meredith, Public RelationsCoordinator, David Collie, Media Productions Specialist, Natalie Zinovyev, Graphics Specialist and Rebecca Terry, Executive Assistant.
Greatness Grows Here Salina Public Schools 305 Salina, Kan. Submitted by: Jennifer Camien, Public Information Director and Chelsea Janke, CEL Marketing PR Design
Public Engagement/Parental Involvement Campaign
Cville Kids Walk to School: A Small-City Transportation Transformation Charlottesville City Schools Charlottesville, Va. Submitted by: Beth Cheuk, Supervisor of Community Relations and Amanda Korman, Community Relations Liaison
Special Communication Project/Campaign
MCPSS Teacher Recruitment Fair Mobile County Public School System Mobile, Ala. Submitted by: Rena Philips, Director of Communication
Introducing the new OPS.org to the Omaha Public Schools Community Omaha Public Schools Omaha, Neb. Submitted by: Kala Morrissey, Director of Communications and Jeremy Maskel, APR, Chief Communications Officer
Teranga Academy Bowling Green Independent Schools Bowling Green, Ky. Submitted by: Leslie McCoy, APR, Director of Communications
"This year's winning submissions are truly reflective of best-in-class, effective school communication plans," said NSPRA Executive Director Barbara M. Hunter, APR. "Each demonstrated a rich understanding of strategic communication best practices and resulted in a positive, authentic impact on their communities."
Gold Medallion winners will be honored during the NSPRA President Installation and Gold Medallion Awards Ceremony Luncheon at the NSPRA 2023 National Seminar on Wednesday, July 19, from 12 - 2 p.m. CT at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, 1820 Market St., St. Louis, Missouri.
Links to each of the winning entries can be accessed on the NSPRA website at www.nspra.org/gold-medallion-23.
As the leader in school communication, NSPRA serves more than 2,700 members who work primarily as communication directors in public school districts and education organizations throughout the United States and Canada. NSPRA provides high quality professional development programming through on-demand learning, an annual National Seminar, webinars, online forums and resources. For more information, visit NSPRA’s website at www.nspra.org.
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