The National School Public Relations Association is proud to announce recipients of the 2026 National School Communication Awards! This year, districts and education organizations from across the country submitted work showcasing the creativity, strategy and impact of school communication professionals and education leaders.

15 Gold Medallions Awarded to School Systems, Service Agency

The NSPRA Gold Medallion Awards program has recognized superior school public relations programs and campaigns grounded in strategic communication best practices since 1982. This year NSPRA is awarding 15 Gold Medallions across four categories, after receiving more than 100 entries. Gold Medallion entries are judged both individually against the judging criteria and competitively against all other entries in the same category.

The winning school systems, along with their communicators and campaign partners, will be celebrated during the NSPRA Awards Celebration and Dinner on Tuesday, July 21, at the NSPRA 2026 National Seminar in New Orleans, La.

Congratulations to this year's Gold Medallion winners

2026 Gold Medallion Award Winners Bond / Finance Campaign  🏆 2025 Bond Issue: From Feedback to Progress Bennington Public Schools, Nebraska Submitted by: Stacy Hawn, Communications Coordinator 🏆 Highline Education Levy Highline Public Schools, Washington Submitted by: Tove Tupper, APR, Chief Communications Officer; Mandi LeCompte, APR, Director of Communications; Rosie Eades, Communications Specialist; Nicole Thompson, Communications Manager; Carolina Moricet, Communications Manager; Linda Isguerra, Communications Assistant 🏆 RUSD Referendum: Strong Schools Strong Community Racine USD, Wisconsin Submitted by: Stacy Tapp, APR, Chief of Communication and Community Engagement; Jonalee Kuhn, Communication Manager; David Olson, Creative Communication Specialist 🏆 Essentials for Learning: Levy 2025 Spring Lake Park Schools, Minnesota Submitted by: Erika Taibl, Executive Director of Communications, Marketing and Outreach; Mackenzie Finley, Communications Coordinator - Design and Visual Storytelling 🏆 The Future Moves with Us: Washtenaw CTE Campaign Washtenaw ISD, Michigan Submitted by: Andrew Munson, APR, Communications Specialist; Ashley Kryscynski, Director of Communications and Public Relations Marketing Communication Campaign 🏆 Celebrating the Denver Public Schools Experience Denver Public Schools, Colorado Submitted by: Brittany Cowan, Director of Marketing 🏆 Join the Team that Drives the Future Howell Public Schools and Livingston Educational Service Agency, Michigan Submitted by: Thomas Gould, APR, HPS Director of Communications; Megan Kelley, Livingston ESA Communications Specialist; Caton Walter, Livingston ESA Communications Specialist 🏆 Magic Starts By Showing Up Attendance Campaign Provo City School District, Utah Submitted by: Shauna Sprunger, Communication Coordinator; Caleb Price, Director of Communication; Spencer Tuinei, Communication Specialist; Eliza Tuinei, Website Quality Assurance Specialist Public Engagement / Parental Involvement Campaign 🏆 Flight Plan 2035 Eden Prairie Schools, Minnesota Submitted by: Dirk Tedmon, APR, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications; Grace Becker, APR, Director of Marketing and Communications; Carrie Snead, Events Coordinator; Aditi Kumari, Digital Strategy Coordinator; Jen Clark, Creative Coordinator 🏆 Redrawing Engagement for a Changing Community 27J Schools, Colorado Submitted by: Janelle Asmus, APR, Chief Communications Officer; Mikel Philippi, Communications Manager; Leslie Baca, Communications Executive Assistant; Nancy Esquivel, Communications Specialist - Bilingual; Lauren Zweitzig, Communications Specialist; Benton Westergaard, Accessibility and Web Support Specialist Special Communication Project / Campaign  🏆 The Power of One: A Unified Identity Beavercreek City Schools, Ohio Submitted by: Anaka Rettig, Public Relations Specialist 🏆 Come Together! Communication Platform Roll-Out Clovis Unified School District, California Submitted by: Kelly Avants, APR, Chief Communication Officer; Kendra Burt, Digital Media Specialist 🏆 #ChooseDASD Campaign Downingtown Area School District, Pennsylvania Submitted by: Jennifer Shealy, Director of Communications 🏆 Choices are Worth It in Fort Worth ISD Fort Worth ISD, Texas Submitted by: Erin Gregg, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communications 🏆 Career Pathways for ALL Vikings Homewood-Flossmoor High School District, Illinois Submitted by: Carla Erdey, APR, Director of Communications and Community Engagement

Winners of 2026 Golden Achievement Awards and 2026 Publications and Digital Media Awards Announced

NSPRA’s Golden Achievement Award recognizes outstanding, strategic work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement. Entries are judged individually against the award criteria by volunteer association members and public relations professionals who are experienced, award winning and accredited.

NSPRA’s Publication and Digital Media Awards recognize outstanding tactical materials such as publications, newsletters, videos, podcasts, websites, social media and more. Entries are judged within an entry category for organizations of a similar type and size. Each entry is judged on the overall excellence of the entry as well as its quality compared to other entries in the category.

This year's award-winning entries exemplify the impactful, innovative work shaping the future of school communication.

Find lists of the winners for both awards contests on the NSPRA website at the links below. Congratulations to this year's recipients!

2026 Golden Achievement Award Winners    

2026 Publication and Digital Media Award Winners