Mark of Distinction Chapter Recognition Program Winners

Mark of Distinction Honorees

The Mark of Distinction chapter recognition program offers multiple recognition opportunities for NSPRA chapters of all sizes. There are two entry sections: membership building and special focus areas. Each eligible chapter can enter for one or all of the special focus areas as well as for membership building.

Through the program, recognized "exemplary chapters" have an opportunity to receive incentives such as free professional-level NSPRA memberships, discounts on Seminar and pre-Seminar workshop registrations, and more. (Prize packages are valued at $89 to nearly $700!) Recognized chapters also can use the Mark of Distinction logo, naming them as an exemplary chapter, on their chapters' print publications and digital platforms.

Below are chapters who have been recognized with the Mark of Distinction honor throughout the years.

Recipients of the Mark of Distinction Honor

Click below to see chapters that have been honored with the Mark of Distinction over the years.

2024

Membership Building

California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Florida: Sunshine State School Public Relations Association(SunSPRA)
Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA)
New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA)
Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Professional Development/PR Skill Building

California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Florida: Sunshine State School Public Relations Association(SunSPRA)
Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)
Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA)
Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA)
Nebraska School Public Relations Association (NebSPRA)
New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA)
North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA)
Ohio School Public Relations Association (OSPRA)
Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)
Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA)
Ohio School Public Relations Association (OSPRA)

Coalition-building/collaborative communication efforts

California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Ohio School Public Relations Association (OSPRA)

2023

Membership Building

Alabama School Public Relations Association (ALSPRA)
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA)
Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Coalition Building/Collaborative Communication Efforts

Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill Building

Alabama School Public Relations Association (ALSPRA)
Arizona School Public Relations Association (ASPRA)
Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)
Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA)
Nebraska School Public Relations Association (NebSPRA)
New England School Public Relations Association (NESPRA)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA)
North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA)
Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

Alabama School Public Relations Association (ALSPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)

2022

Membership Building

Arizona School Public Relations Association (ASPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)
Kentucky School Public Relations Association (KYSPRA)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA)
Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Coalition Building/Collaborative Communication Efforts

Arizona School Public Relations Association (ASPRA)
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)
North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill Building

Arizona School Public Relations Association (ASPRA)
California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)
Kentucky School Public Relations Association (KYSPRA)
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA)
New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA)
North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA)
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)
Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA)

2021

Membership Building

Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Coalition Building/Collaborative Communication Efforts

Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) - Return to School Communication Toolkit

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill Building

Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA) - Monthly Webinar Series
Indiana School Public Relations Association (INDSPRA) - Virtual Support and Professional Learning Network
Kansas School Public Relations Association (KanSPRA) - KanSPRA Connect
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) - Virtual Annual Conference, Fall Drive-in Conference and Summer Idea Hours
New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) - Speaker Series, Virtual Panel Discussions, Communications Awards, Social Media and Email Engagement
North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) - Communications Response and Support (Various Programs)
Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) - Virtual Professional Development 2020-21

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) - Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force

2020

Membership Building

Ohio School Public Relations Association (OHSPRA)

Special Focus Area: Professional development/PR skill building

Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA) - School PR All Stars: Get Your Head in the Game!
Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) - INSPRAtions State Conference
Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) – Year-round Program
Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA) - Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) Preparation Study Cohort
New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) - Year-round Program
Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) - "2020 Winter Storytelling Summit" Joint Conference

Special Focus Area: Coalition building/collaborative comm efforts

Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) – Collaborative Toolkits

2019

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) – Year-round program (PDF)
Missouri School Public Relations Association (MOSPRA) – MOSPRA’s “rogue” (sub-regional) groups (PDF)
New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA) – Year-round program (PDF)
New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) – Year-round program (PDF)
Ohio School Public Relations Association (OHSPRA) – Year-round program (PDF)

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA) – Branding GSPRA (PDF)

Special Focus Area: Coalition-Building/Collaborative Communication Effort

Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA) – Communicating about school drinking water issues (PDF)

2018

Membership Building

Washington (WSPRA) (PDF)

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Iowa (ISPRA) — Membership Building & Program Expansion (PDF)
Michigan (MSPRA) — Year-round Program (PDF)
Missouri (MOSPRA) — Strategic Planning Workshops for the One-Person Communications Office (PDF)
New York (NYSPRA) — Year-round Program (PDF)
Ohio (OHSPRA) — Year-round Program (PDF)
Washington (WSPRA) — Conference Speakers (PDF)

Special Focus Area: Coalition-Building/Collaborative Communication Effort

Michigan (MSPRA) — Communication Resources on Student Walkouts (PDF)

2017

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Iowa (ISPRA) — Year-round Program/Membership Focus
Michigan (MSPRA) — Year-round Program
Ohio (OHSPRA) — Year-round Program
Washington (WSPRA) — Social Media
Wisconsin(WSPRA) — Fall Conference

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign

Missouri (MOSPRA) — PR Boot Camp
Wisconsin (WSPRA) — WSPRA Brand Redesign Campaign

Special Focus Area: Coalition-Building/Collaborative Communication Effort

Illinois (INSPRA) — Building Value for School PR by Building Statewide Partnerships

2016

Special Focus Areas

Alabama (ALSPRA) — A Strategic Communication Plan Professional Learning Unit
Illinois (INSPRA) — "Member Needs Help" Service
Michigan (MSPRA) — Year-round Program
Missouri (MSPRA) — Year-round Program
Ohio (OHSPRA) — Year-round Program
Washington (WSPRA) — Year-round Program

2015

Membership Building

Iowa (ISPRA)

Special Focus Area: Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Kentucky (KYSPRA) — Focus on Value-added Membership
Iowa (ISPRA) — Year-round Program
Michigan (MSPRA) — Year-round Program
Wisconsin (WSPRA) — Year-round Program

Special Focus Area: Special PR/Communication Program, Project

Missouri (MOSPRA) — 2015-18 Strategic Plan — “Becoming Indispensable to Missouri School Public Relations”

Special Focus Area: Coalition-Building/Collaborative Communication Effort

Georgia (GSPRA) — Partnership Support of Georgia Vision Project’s “SPARK! Campaign”

2014

Special Focus Areas: Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Chesapeake (CHESPRA) — Conference Partnerships & Marketing Program
Illinois (INSPRA) — Focus on Leveraging Social Media for Professional Development
Michigan (MSPRA) — Year-round Program
Missouri (MOSPRA — Conference Scholarships Program
Washington (WSPRA) — Year-round Program
Wisconsin (WSPRA) — Year-round Program

Special Focus Areas: Special PR/Communication Program, Project

North Carolina (NCSPRA) — "Building Support and Respect for Public Schools”
Texas (TSPRA) — "Celebrate Texas Public Schools”

2013

Special Focus Area Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

California (CalSPRA) "2012-13 Conferences”
Michigan (MSPRA) "Year-long Program”
Wisconsin (WSPRA) "Year-long Program”

Special Focus Area — Category B (more than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Illinois (INSPRA) "Focus on Social Media”

Special Focus Area: Coalition-building/Collaborative Communication Effort

Missouri (MOSPRA) "Partnership and Membership Development"

2012

Special Focus Area – Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Wisconsin (WSPRA) "Year-round Program"

Special Focus Area – Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership): Special PR/Communication Project

Missouri (MOSPRA) "MOSPRA Assists Joplin Schools with Tornado Recovery"

Special Focus Area – Category B (more than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Illinois (INSPRA) "Tips & Tactics Workshops"

Special Focus Area – Category B (more than 50% NSPRA membership): Special PR/Communication Project

Illinois (INSPRA) "Workshop Webcasts Planning"
Minnesota (MOSPRA) "Organizational Improvement and Member Engagement"

2011

Special Focus Area – Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

2010

Special Focus Area – Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Colorado (COSPRA)
Michigan (MSPRA)
Wisconsin (WSPRA)

Special Focus Area – Category B (50% or more NSPRA membership): Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

Ohio (OHSPRA)

Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign: One-time project/program

Georgia (GSPRA) – “Focus on the Flu”

Honorable Mention: Special Focus Areas – Category A (less than 50% NSPRA membership) - Coalition-Building/Collaborative Communication Efforts

Kansas (KanSPRA) – “Kansas Learning First Alliance”

Honorable Mention: Special Focus Areas – Category B (50% or more NSPRA membership) - Special PR/Communication Program, Project or Campaign: Continuing annual project/program

Missouri (MOSPRA) – “Fall Conference”
Illinois (INSPRA) – “Midwest Education Foundations Conference”