Awards Award Winners 2021 Golden Achievement Award Winners

Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo.
Onward
 Joe Ferdani, APR, Chief Communications Officer

Ascension Public Schools, Donaldsonville, La.
Ascension Public Schools Teacher Recruitment Campaign
 Jackie Tisdell, Public Information Officer

Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
Essential Ed 2.0: Relaunching and Rapid Deployment of Resources
 Jessica Scheckton, Assistant Director of Communications

Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y. 
Summer Adventure: Engaging Young Learners During a Stay-at-Home Summer
 Jessica Scheckton, Assistant Director of Communications

Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
Roadmap to Reopening: Communicating the “New Normal” to Operate Schools During COVID-19
 Jessica Scheckton, Assistant Director of Communications

Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
Mailing It In: Engaging School Communities in an Absentee-Ballot-Only School Budget Vote
 Jessica Scheckton, Assistant Director of Communications

Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES, Olean, N.Y.
CA BOCES CTE Career Exploration Campaign
 Jessica Golley, Marketing, Brand & Communication Coordinator 

Cedar Rapids Community School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Disaster Strikes - CRCSD Crisis Communication
 Colleen Scholer, Director of Communications

CESA 10, Chippewa Falls, Wisc.
Engineering Opportunities for the Spooner Area School District
 Angie Sommers, Marketing Strategist

CESA 7, Green Bay, Wisc.
This is CESA 7
 Dean Leisgang, Director of Communications

Cherokee County School District, Canton, Ga.
Crisis Communications: CCSD Pandemic Response
 Barbara Jacoby, Chief Communications Officer

Chester County Intermediate Unit, Downingtown, Pa.
CCIU Vaccine Advocacy Campaign
 Mary Curley, Director of Communications & Learning Solutions

CiTi BOCES, Mexico, N.Y.
CiTi COVID-19 Communications Plan
 Naomi Himes, Public Relations Coordinator and the CiTi Public Relations Team

Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, Mo.
PR Education TV/video/podcasting programs
 Aurora Meyer, APR,  Communication Manager

Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, Mo.
District Financial Aid and Budget Transparency Columbia Public Schools Communicates District Financial and Budget Information  to Better Engage Stakeholders
 Aurora Meyer, APR, Communication Manager

Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, Mo. 
Fast-Tracked  Digital Learning Initiatives   A Global Pandemic Gives Columbia Public Schools the Opportunity to Implement the 1:1 Technology Initiative Across the District.
 Aurora Meyer, APR, Communication Manager

Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, Mo.
Outreach During a Time of Pandemic 
 Aurora Meyer, APR, Communication Manager

Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville, N.C. 
Excellence in Teaching: Rising to the Challenge ~ 2021 Teacher & Beginning Teacher of the Year Virtual Celebration
 Lindsay Whitley, Associate Superintendent of Communications & Community Engagement

Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville, N.C. 
Cumberland Family Academy
 Lindsay Whitley, Associate Superintendent of Communications & Community Engagement

Department of Defense Education Activity, Alexandria, Va.
Returning to School in a COVID-19 Environment
 Miranda Ferguson, Public Affairs Officer

Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, Roseville, Calif.
COVID-19 School Reopening Guidebook
 Gina Nielsen, Chief Communications Officer

Duluth (Minn.)  Public Schools ISD 709
We Can, Northland
 Katie Kaufman, Communications Coordinator

Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Fla.
People and Persistence Prevail Over Politics
 Tracy Pierce, Chief Communications Officer

Fridley Public Schools, Fridley, Minn.
Fridley Public Schools 20for20 Senior Salute
 Sarah Burghardt, Communications Specialist

Fridley Public Schools, Fridley, Minn.
Fridley Public Schools COVID-19 Communications
 Jael McLemore, Director of Communications

Fridley Public Schools, Fridley, Minn.
Fridley Public Schools Capital Projects Levy
 Jael McLemore, Director of Communications; Sarah Burghardt, Communications Specialist; David Webber, Communications Specialist

Garland (Texas) Independent School District 
20th Annual Employee Giving Campaign
 Caren Rodriguez, Communications Coordinator

Gaston County Schools, Gastonia, N.C.
Billboards Marketing Campaign
 Todd Hagans, Chief Communications Officer

Gaston County Schools, Gastonia, N.C.
Newspapers in Education (NIE) Campaign
 Todd Hagans, Chief Communications Officer

Glens Falls (N.Y.) City Schools
Glens Falls City Schools COVID-19 Communications
 Skye Heritage, Communications Director

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
Celebration of Excellence
 Nora Shoptaw, APR, Program Administrator of Communications

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
We See You GCS
 Nora Shoptaw, APR,  Program Administrator of Communications

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C. 
Drive-Thru Graduation Recognitions
 Janson Silvers, Media Relations Program Administrator

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
Proactive Media Relations
 Janson Silvers, Media Relations Program Administrator

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C. 
GPA Tech Tuesdays & Thursdays: Live Canvas Help for Title I Parents and Caregivers
 Wanda Edwards, Director of Communication

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
GPA Encourages Heart Love During American Heart Month
 Wanda Edwards, Director of Communication

Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, N.C.
Reopening Plan
 Nora Shoptaw, APR,  Program Administrator of Communications

Hamilton County Schools, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Reopening School in a Global Pandemic
 Cody Patterson, Communications Officer

Hernando County School District, Brooksville, Fla. 
Against All Odds - Hernando' s Referendum 2020
 Karen Jordan, Public Information Officer

Hernando County School District, Brooksville, Fla.
Against All Odds
 Karen Jordan, Public Information Officer

Highline Public Schools, Burien, Wash.
Highline Tech Levy
 Catherine Carbone Rogers, APR,  Chief Communications Officer

Highline Public Schools, Burien, Wash.
Spring 2020 COVID Communications
 Catherine Carbone Rogers, APR, Chief Communications Officer

Katy (Texas) Independent School District 
Katy ISD: COVID-19 & Smart Restart
 Andrea Grooms, APR, Chief Communications Officer, Maria Dipetta, Manager, Media Relations and Multimedia  and  Renie Deanda , Director of Communications 

Kenosha (Wisc.) Unified School District
Return 2020
 Tanya Ruder, Chief Communications Officer

Kyrene School District, Tempe, Ariz.
Safe Return to School
 Erin Helm, Director of Communications & Marketing

Lexington (S.C.) County School District One
COVID-19 Communications
 Kathryn McPhail, Communications Director

Lockport (Ill.) Township High School
Lockport Township High School Communication Program
 Janine Wheeler, Public Relations Director

Maine Township High School District 207, Park Ridge, Ill.
COVID-19 Relief Efforts: Helping Those Most in Need
 Brett Clark, APR, Director of Communications

Marion County Public Schools, Ocala, Fla.
Netiquette Video
 Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC, Public Relations Director

Mesa (Ariz.) Public Schools
Safe.Strong.Ready. communications campaign
 Heidi Hurst, Director, Communications & Engagement

Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools
School Board Recognitions Program
 Mary Cornelius, Communications Specialist  and Andy Smith, Audio/Visual Specialist and Sue Ryan, Communications Assistant

Mobile (Ala.) County Public Schools
mcpssTV LIVE Lessons
 Rena Philips, Director of Communication

Mount Prospect (Ill.) District 57
Educating the Public and Building Excitement Around New Superintendent Announcement
 Jenny Kustra-Quinn, Communications Consultant

NCSPRA, Davidson, N.C.
Spring Professional Development Series
 Ellen Boyd, APR, Executive Director

Newburgh (N.Y.) Enlarged City School District
COVID-19 Communications: A Year in Review
 Cassie Sklarz, APR, Communications Strategist

Northshore School District, Bothell, Wash.
Northshore Learns 3.0
 Lisa Youngblood Hall, Chief Communications & Experience Officer, Megan Bernicchi, Assistant Director of Equity Pedagogy, Natalie Campbell, Partnerships and Volunteer Coordinator,  Alex Clark, Digital Communications & Accessibility Specialist,   Juliana Fisher, Nutrition Services Director, Sarah Lawrence, User Services Manager, Toby Normoyle, School Technology Specialist, Shelby Reynolds, Assistant Director, Instructional Technology and Library Services and Christina Wilner,  Assistant Director Of Communications 

Oakland Schools, Waterford, Mich.
Educationally Speaking podcast
 Sarah Davis, Communications Specialist

Omaha (Neb.) Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools - Responsible Return to School
 Jeremy Maskel, Executive Director, District Communications and External Relations

Orange County Schools, Hillsborough, N.C.
Equity Warriors
 Melany Stowe, PIO

Orange County Schools, Hillsborough, N.C
Family Liaisons
 Melany Stowe, PIO

Peoria Unified School District, Glendale, Ariz.
I Got My Shot
 Danielle Airey, Chief Communications Officer

Peoria Unified School District, Glendale, Ariz.
Be the Difference
 Danielle Airey, Chief Communications Officer

Peoria Unified School District, Glendale, Arizona
One Busy Ballot
 Danielle Airey, Chief Communications Officer

Pulaski County Special School District, Little Rock, Ark.
Roadmap to Reopening
 Jessica Duff, Exec Director of Communications

Questar BOCES, Castleton, N.Y.
Working Together to Reopen and Sustain In-Person Learning
 Dan Sherman, Director of Communications

Racine (Wisc.) Unified School District
Campaigning Through COVID: RUSD Referendum. Every Student. Every School. Flat Tax Rate.
 Stacy Tapp, APR, Chief of Communication & Community Engagement

San Antonio (Texas) Independent School District, San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ISD Family Power Hour
 Elsa Pennell, Director, Family & Community Engagement

San Diego (Calif.) County Office of Education, San Diego, California
Thanksgiving Food Drive Parade
 Stacy Brandt, APR, Communications Specialist and Nicole Shina, Special Programs Assistant 

School District of Clayton, Mo.
Diversity Recruitment Fair Campaign
 Chris Tennill, APR,  Chief Communications Officer

School District of Clayton, Clayton, Mo.
Black History Is Essential Video Campaign
 Chris Tennill, APR,  Chief Communications Officer

School District of Manatee County, Bradenton, Fla.
Mask Up Manatee
 Michael Barber, Communications Director

Shawnee Mission School District, Overland Park, Kan.
SMSD Strong: Strong Schools, Strong Communities Bond Referendum
 Kristin Babcock, Communications Coordinator

Shawnee Mission School District, Overland Park, Kan.
Virtual Education Foundation Fall Breakfast
 Kristin Babcock, Communications Coordinator

Shawnee Mission School District, Overland Park, Kan.
Districtwide Quarterly Art Show
 Kristin Babcock, Communications Coordinator

Socorro Independent School District, El Paso, Texas
Socorro ISD COVID-19 Communication Campaign
 Daniel Escobar, Chief Communications Officer

Socorro Independent School District, El Paso, Texas
2020 Socorro ISD Teacher of the Year Virtual Announcement
 Daniel Escobar, Chief Communications Officer

Socorro Independent School District, El Paso, Texas
2020 Team SISD Graduation in the Time of COVID
 Daniel Escobar, Chief Communications Officer

Spring Branch Independent School District, Houston, Texas
Visioning for the Future
 Lexi Marshall, Assistant Director of Communications, Linda Buchman, Associate Superintendent for Communications & Community Engagement and Abby Walker, Coordinator for Strategic Partnerships and Volunteer Programs

St. Vrain Valley Schools, Longmont, Colo.
We are #greatFULL
 Kerri McDermid, Chief Communications and Global Impact Officer

St. Vrain Valley Schools, Longmont, Colo.
Our Schools, Our Community: A Grassroots Initiative to Change the Narrative of Public Education in Colorado
 Kerri McDermid, Chief Communications and Global Impact Officer

Stamford (Conn.) Public Schools
SPS 3 Rs Response to COVID-19: Rapid Resolved Resolute
 Sharon Beadle, Public Affairs Officer

Waterford School District, Waterford Township, Michigan
Waterford School District Virtual Orientations
 Kelly Allen, Directory of Communications and Community Relations

Wichita (Kan.) Public Schools
Our Collective Crisis
 Suzy Finn, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Supervisor and Wendy Johnson,  Division Director, Strategic Communications

Ysleta Independent School District, El Paso, Texas
OnLine OnTime OnPoint Attendance Campaign
 Monica Bustillos, Director of District Affairs, Diana Mooy,  Pupil and Parent Services Coordinator  and James Vasquez, Director of Pupil & Parent Services