About Us NSPRA Press Room Gold Medallion 2025 Release

Press Release
Contact:
Sarah Loughlin, Communications Manager
National School Public Relations Association
301-519-1221 I sloughlin@nspra.org

ROCKVILLE, MD. (May 22, 2025) – The National School Public Relations Association is proud to recognize 13 school districts and education associations with its prestigious 2025 Gold Medallion Award—the association's top honor for outstanding school communication programs.

Since 1982, the NSPRA Gold Medallion Awards program has recognized superior school public relations programs and communication campaigns grounded in strategic best practices. This year’s winners were selected from 76 entries submitted by school communication professionals and education leaders across the United States and Canada. 

 The following school districts/education organizations, along with their communicators and campaign partners, have been named a 2025 NSPRA Gold Medallion recipient:

OHPS Levy Renewal Campaign
Oak Harbor Public Schools
Oak Harbor, Wash.
Submitted by: Sarah Foy, APR, communications officer; Katey Andrews, executive assistant/communications specialist; and Lisa Jones, communications specialist

SCS Millage Referendum Campaign
Sarasota County School District
Sarasota, Fla.
Submitted by: Craig Maniglia, director of communications and government affairs

#ChooseSUSD
Scottsdale Unified School District 48
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Submitted by: Kristine Harrington, communications and marketing director; Nancy Norman, communications manager; Victor Bobbett, art director; Emilio Torres, digital content manager; and Steven Paluch, web content strategy manager

Crisis Response to Ransomware
Highline Public Schools
Burien, Wash.
Submitted by: Tove Tupper, APR, chief communications officer; Mandi Lecompte, APR, director of communications; Nicole Thompson, communications manager; Carolina Moricet, communications manager;  Rosie Eades, communications specialist; and Linda Isguerra, communications assistant

Every Day Counts Attendance Matters
Stanislaus County Office of Education
Modesto, Calif.
Submitted by: Judy Boring, director II communications

Why Peoria Unified?
Peoria Unified School District
Peoria, Ariz.
Submitted by: Danielle Airey, APR, chief communications officer; Erin Dunsey, communications manager; Sara Meredith, public relations coordinator; Natalie Weisser, graphic designer; Griffin Alexander, media productions specialist; Jade Scott, public relations secretary

Start Strong Kinder Ready: Building Confident Kindergarten Stars
Rowan Salisbury School System
Salisbury, N.C.
Submitted by: Michelle Shue, director of marketing and communications; Emily Nance, social media manager and district photographer; and Amanda Howard, business and community relations specialist

Eden Prairie Schools

Eden Prairie, Minn.

Submitted by: Dirk Tedmon, APR, executive director of marketing and communications; Grace Becker, APR, director of marketing and communications; and Jennifer Clark, creative coordinator

Arizona School Boards Rebrand Campaign
Arizona School Boards Association
Phoenix, Ariz.
Submitted by: Heidi Vega, APR, director of communications

Reimagining Water Education: The Zone 7 Water Academy’s Collaborative Strategy
Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District
Livermore, Calif.
Submitted by: Michelle Dawson, coordinator of community engagement for Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District; Alexandra Bradley, communication specialist for Zone 7 Water Agency; Liz Wilkins,  educational consultant for Wilkins Works, Inc.; and Revekka Balancier, founder and strategist of Axiom of Purpose

Indian Hill Exempted Village School District

Cincinnati, Ohio

Submitted by: Heather Higdon, director of communications

Columbia Public Schools

Columbia, Mo.

Submitted by: Aurora Meyer, APR, communication manager

Websites That Work for Everyone: Reimagining the Online Experience in TCSS
Tuscaloosa County School System
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Submitted by: Terri Brewer, director of public relations for Tuscaloosa County School System; and Eric Hagemann, founder and strategist for Leif Media & PR (Minneapolis, Minn.)

“This year's Gold Medallion winners exemplify what happens when thoughtful strategy meets authentic engagement,” stated Barbara M. Hunter, APR, executive director of NSPRA. “Each demonstrates how strategic communication can drive real, measurable change in school communities."

Gold Medallion winners will be honored during the NSPRA President Installation and Gold Medallion Awards Ceremony Luncheon at the NSPRA 2025 National Seminar on Wednesday, July 23, from 12 - 2 p.m. ET at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.t the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Wash.

As the leader in school communication, NSPRA serves more than 2,900 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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