Gold Medallion For excellence in educational public relations programs. Entries may come from public and private schools; vocational-technical schools beyond 12th grade; two-year community colleges; state/national education groups; and public relations agencies, consultants or private businesses serving such schools and colleges. Judging is against criteria as well as other entries - highly competitive. Winners receive medallions at the NSPRA Annual Seminar.

2009 Gold Medallion Award Program

NSPRA's Gold Medallion Award is the top national competition recognizing superior educational public relations programs. Submissions that are not awarded the Gold Medallion will automatically be considered for Golden Achievement Awards.

Criteria

• A planned presentation is necessary, submitted in a notebook (see details under "Rules"), organized in the logical order of Assessment (Research), Planning, Communication (Implementation) and Evaluation.
• Read the rules carefully. If you fail to follow the rules, the judges will subtract points in judging your entry.
• Your entry will be judged on clarity of concept, good writing, and evidence of objective evaluation of your project/program. Judges are experienced public relations professionals.

Gold Medallion Award Rules

The 2009 competition is open to any program underway or completed between April 2008 and the contest deadline of April 8, 2009. (Note: For Bond/Finance Campaign entries, if the election results aren't in until after the Gold Medallion award deadline, the campaign is eligible for the next year's award program.)

Your project must be submitted in a three-ring binder no more than 3" thick. Place the entry form inside the binder.

Your project entry must include a synopsis that provides a clear, concise overview (between 225 and 275 words).

Your project must include a two-page "Project Summary." These two pages are the most critical portion of the entry. Organize your summary carefully around the areas that the judges will evaluate on a point scale. These include:

• Research - Evidence of the need or problem must be described and project goals must be stated and measurable.
• Planning/Analysis - Identified target audiences, involvement of others in the planning, and variety of communication channels considered and used.
• Implementation/Communication - Timelines for the project, variety of communication techniques used, and quality of written and graphic materials.
• Evaluation - Evidence of a planned, objective evaluation of reaching stated goals, and evidence of an objective evaluation of communication techniques used, as well as changes, if any, to be made in repeating the project.

Carefully select the materials to be included in your binder, using only those materials that best illustrate the major components of the project: news releases, brochures, clippings, photos, etc. Do not include objects such as T- shirts or lapel pins. Photos of objects will be sufficient if included in the binder.

All entries become part of the NSPRA resource files and will not be returned. All materials submitted become the property of NSPRA and may be reproduced, displayed, referenced, or summarized in an NSPRA publication or other resource. One-of-a-kind material should be duplicated for inclusion.

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by April 8, 2009.

Official entry form will be posted in early 2009. 

2008 Gold Medallion Award Winners

Congratulations to these award winners. To download a two-page summary of each winning program, click on the district's name below.

Bloomington Public Schools, Bloomington, MN
Unite Bloomington For Schools
Submitted by: Rick Kaufman, APR

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC
Successful Bond-Information Campaign
Submitted by: Nora Carr, APR

North Clackamas School District 12, Milwaukie, OR
The Trust Project
Submitted by: Joe Krumm, APR

Orono Public Schools, Long Lake, MN
2006 Building Minds – 2008 Minding Buildings
Submitted by: Gary Kubat

Peel District School Board, Mississauga, ON
Implementation of Safe Schools Legislation
Submitted by: Brian Woodland, APR

Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA
“Every Day Counts” Countywide Attendance Campaign
Submitted by: Jane Johnston

The 2008 Gold Medallion Awards were presented at the NSPRA Annual National Seminar Closing Banquet on Wednesday, July 11, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Washington, D.C.

Bloomington Public Schools
Bloomington, MN

Unite Bloomington For Schools

North Central Region Vice President Nancy Kracke presented the award to Rick Kaufman, APR

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte, NC

Successful Bond-Information Campaign

President-Elect Sandra Cokeley presented the award to Earnest Winston, Cynthia Robbins, Arlette Dolphin and Tahira Stalberte

North Clackamas School District 12
Milwaukie, OR

The Trust Project

Northwest Region Vice President J.Marie Riche presented the award to Ron Naso, Joe Krumm, APR, and Leslie Robinette.

Orono Public Schools
Long Lake, MN

2006 Building Minds - 2008 Minding Buildings

North Central Region Vice President Nancy Kracke presented the award to Gary Kubat

Peel District School Board
Mississauga, ON

Implementation of Safe Schools Legislation

Northeast Region Vice President Jim Van Develde presented the award to Lynn Heibert and Brian Woodland, APR

Stanislaus County Office of Education
Modesto, CA

"Every Day Counts" Countywide Attendance Campaign

Southwest Region Vice President Jim Cummings, APR, presented the award to Judy Leitz and Cynthia Fenech