
Gold Medallion Award
The Gold Medallion is NSPRA's top program award, recognizing superior educational public relations programs and campaigns grounded in strategic communication best practices. Entries may come from public and private schools; community or vocational/technical colleges; state/national education groups; and any agency, consultant or business in partnership with any of the above education agencies. Judging is against criteria as well as other entries - highly competitive. Winners receive medallions at the NSPRA National Seminar.
2021 Gold Medallion Winners
Bond / Finance Campaign
- School Finance: Fix Our Schools, Fund Our Future
Nora Carr, Ed.D., APR, Chief of Staff
Communications Department
Guilford County Schools
Greensboro, N.C.
COVID-19 Communications
- Fall 2020 In-person Reopening
Nicholas Glenn, Communications Director
North Shore School District 112
Highland Park, Ill. - Pattonville Strong: Pattonville COVID-19 Communication Plan
Mickey Schoonover, APR, Director of School/Community Relations
School-Community Relations Department
Pattonville School District
Saint Ann, Mo.
Special Communication Projects/Campaigns
- The Identity Project: Renaming Schools in a Dual Pandemic
Julia A. Burgos, Chief of School and Community Relations
Department of School and Community Relations
Alexandria (Va.) City Public Schools - #DiscoverVanguard
Sabreana Smith, Director of Strategic Communications
Communications Department
Mesquite (Texas) Independent School District
2020 Gold Medallion Winners
Bond / Finance Campaign
- Strong Schools, Strong Communities
Mike Schoemer, Communications Specialist
Communications and Marketing Department
Independent School District 728
Elk River, Minn.
Comprehensive, Strategic, Year-Round Communication Programs
- Pattonville Comprehensive, Strategic, Year-Round Communications Program
Mickey Schoonover, APR, Director
School-Community Relations Department
Pattonville School District
Saint Ann, Mo.
Marketing/Branding Campaigns
- Technical College High School – Evolving the Brand; Establishing the Why
Melissa Smith, Assistant Director
Communications and Learning Solutions Division
Chester County Intermediate Unit
Downingtown, Pa. - See the Impact
Danielle Clark, APR, Chief Communications Officer
Communications and Creative Services Division
Harris County Department of Education
Houston, Texas
Public Engagement/Parental Involvement
- Senior Citizen VIP Pass
Tiffany Veno, Director of Communications
Communications Department
Garland (Texas) Independent School District
Special Communication Projects / Campaigns
- Choose Your Seat in Cedar Hill ISD
Tierney Tinnin, Chief of Communications and Marketing
Communications and Marketing Department
Cedar Hill (Texas) Independent School District - ELEVATE Dual Enrollment Scholarships
Lesley Bruinton, APR, Public Relations Coordinator
Public Relations Department
Tuscaloosa City (Ala.) Schools - Every Student Future Ready: Communicating a New Strategic Plan
Wendy Johnson, Division Director
Suzy Finn, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Supervisor
Strategic Communications Division
Wichita (Kan.) Public Schools
2019 Gold Medallion Winners
Bond/Finance Campaign
- Continue the Greatness: May 2018 Bond Issue
Annette Eyman, APR, Director of Communications
Papillion La Vista (Neb.) Community Schools - HSSD Operational Referendum Campaign 2018
Brian Nicol, Director of Communications
Howard-Suamico (Wis.) School District
Comprehensive, Strategic, Year-Round Communication Programs
- Engaging the Community to Support Our Students and Schools
Nicole Kirby, APR, Director of Communications
Park Hill (Mo.) School District - #TeamSISD: The right choice for Endless Opportunities
Daniel Escobar, Chief Communications Officer
Socorro (Texas) Independent School District
Marketing/Branding Campaign
- Branding the District
Yolanda Stephen, APR, Director of Public Relations
Troup County (Ga.) School System - Discover a World of Opportunities with Wichita Public Schools
Suzy Finn, Marketing and Strategic Partnership Supervisor
Wichita (Kan.) Public Schools - All Education Is Not Equal. Are You Choosing the Best? #ChooseGarlandISD
Tiffany Veno, Communications Director
Garland (Texas) Independent School District
Special Communication Projects/Campaigns
- Reinventing the Titans: Ending Modern-Day Segregation and Creating Equity at T.C. Williams High School
Helen Lloyd, Director of Communications
Alexandria City (Va.) Public Schools - We Help: Building a Culture of Help Within a Mental Well-Being Strategy
Shawn McKillop, APR, Manager of Communications and Community Engagement
Hamilton-Wentworth (Ontario) District School Board - Student Census 2018 – Count Me in Peel
Kayla Tishcoff, Senior Communications Officer
Peel (Ontario) District School Board
2018 Gold Medallion Winners
Special Communication Projects/Campaigns
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Parkway Schools, Chesterfield, Mo.
Parkway Cares: Connecting Employees and Mission
Communications Department -
Racine (Wis.) Unified School District
My School. My Choice. Building stakeholder support, buy-in and leadership for transforming RUSD middle schools.
Stacy Tapp, APR, chief of communication & community engagement
Bond/Finance Campaigns
- Kent Intermediate School District, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Strong Schools, Strong Communities Ballot Proposal
Ron Koehler, APR, assistant superintendent of organizational & community initiatives and legislative affairs - Spring Branch ISD, Houston, Texas
Great Schools. Great Community. Bond 2017 — Spring Branch ISD
Linda Buchman, community relations officer
Strategic, Year-Round Communication Programs
- Stillwater Area (Minn.) Public Schools
Get to Know the “New” Stillwater Area Public Schools
Carissa Keister, APR, community engagement manager
Crisis Communication
- Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ont.
Religious accommodation: Key facts
Carla Pereira, APR, director of communications & community relations support services
Public Engagement/Parent Involvement
- Tuscaloosa (Ala.) City Schools
Summer Enrichment Program
Lesley Bruinton, APR, public relations coordinator
Marketing/Branding
- Omaha (Neb.) Public Schools
Yes, Omaha Public Schools, You Do Have a Brand! #OPSProud Brand Launch
Kala Morrissey, coordinator of marketing & visual information &
Monique Farmer, APR, director of communications
2017 Gold Medallion Winners
Special Communication Projects/Campaigns
- Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
BOCES Employee Resource Tool (BERT): Using a Social Intranet to Increase Employee Engagement
Deborah Bush-Suflita, director of communications - Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
Testing Water for Lead: Communication Resources for New York Schools
Jessica Scheckton, assistant director of communications & public relations - Colorado Springs (Colo.) School District 11
The Uniting of Two History-Rich Schools
Devra Ashby, public information officer - Grand Erie District School Board, Brantford, ON
Be Well Campaign: Supporting the Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy
Shawn McKillop, APR, manager of communications & community relations - Racine (Wis.) Unified School District
Academies of Racine: Transforming High School Education in RUSD
Stacy Tapp, APR, chief of communication & community engagement - Ulster BOCES, New Paltz, N.Y.
Ulster Community Forum on the Opioid and Heroin Crisis
Holly Brooker, community relations coordinator
Bond/Finance Campaigns
- Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo.
Five Star Needs: Investing in Every Student, Every School, Every Community
Joe Ferdani, APR, director of communications - Alpine School District, American Fork, Utah
Growing Forward: A Successful Plan for Development and Renovation
David Stephenson, administrator of public relations & Kimberly Bird, assistant to superintendent/administrator of public relations - Ascension Public Schools, Donaldsonville, La.
Growing at the Pace of Excellence
Jackie Tisdell, public information officer
Strategic, Year-Round Communication Programs
- Collier County Public Schools, Naples, Fla.
Opening the Classroom Window, One #tweetcher At a Time
Greg Turchetta, executive director, communications & community engagement
Marketing/Branding
- Garland (Texas) ISD
The Area’s Newest Montessori is Just Around the Corner
Tiffany Veno, director of communications
2016 Gold Medallion Winners
- Alabama School Public Relations Association, Montgomery, Ala.
Special Communication Project/Campaign: A Strategic Communication Plan Professional Learning Unit
Lesley Bruinton, APR, chapter president - Davis School District, Farmington, Utah
Bond/Finance Campaign: Room to Learn;
Christopher Williams, community relations director and Shauna Lund, community relations specialist - Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools
Bond/Finance Campaign: Educational Excellence: It’s In Your Hands
Janet Swiecichowski, APR, executive director, communications - Oregon School Boards Association, Salem, Ore.
Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Promise of Oregon
Tricia Yates, communications director - Peel District School Board, Mississauga, ON
Special Communication Project/Campaign: Facts Matter: Working Together to Keep Our Students Safe and Healthy
Brian Woodland, APR, director, communications & community relations - Poudre School District, Fort Collins, Colo.
Special Communication Project/Campaign: Long Range Planning: Building Our Future Together
Danielle Clark, executive director, communications - Tolles Career & Technical Center, Plain City, Ohio
Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Landed Campaign
Shane Haggerty, director, marketing & technology
2015 Gold Medallion Winners
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Brevard County Public Schools, Viera, Fla.
Bond/Finance Campaign: 2014 Half-Cent Sales Surtax Election Campaign
Michelle Irwin, director of community relations/PIO -
West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools, Mendota Heights, Minn.
Bond/Finance Campaign: Focused on Our Future
Carrie Hilger, APR, director of communications -
Eden Prairie (Minn.) Schools
Bond/Finance Campaign: 2014 Referendum: Sustaining Excellence
Jaclyn Swords, director of communications and community Relations -
Oklahoma City (Okla.) Public Schools
Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Neu Guy
Tierney Tinnin, senior communications officer -
Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario, Can.
Bond/Finance Campaign: Fix the Formula: Fair Funding for Special Education
Brian Woodland, APR, director of communications and community relations -
Portland (Ore.) Public Schools
Special Communication Projects/Campaign: Go MAD! Madison High School Open Enrollment Marketing Campaign
Jon Isaacs, chief of communications and public affairs -
Racine (Wis.) Unified School District
Bond/Finance Campaign: RUSD Referendum 2014: Every School. Every Student. No Tax Increase.
Stacy Tapp, chief of communication & community engagement
2014 Gold Medallion Winners
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Bloomington (Minn.) Public Schools
Bond/Finance Campaign: 2013 Referendum Campaign
Jaclyn Swords, communications specialist & Rick Kaufman, APR, executive director, community relations -
Dallas (Texas) ISD
Public Engagement/Parent Involvement: Parent Portal System Bilingual Campaign
Elsa Valenzuela-Pennell, director, family & community engagement -
Duluth (Minn.) Public Schools
Public Engagement/Parent Involvement: Think Kids Community Vision & Priorities
Katie Kaufman, communications coordinator -
Houston (Texas) ISD|
Special Communication Project/Campaign: PowerUp Communications
Sarah Greer Osborne, multimedia manager -
Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools
Special Communication Project/Campaign: A Culture of Innovation
Jake Sturgis, APR (former communications coordinator) & Janet Swiecichowski, APR, executive director, communications -
Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario, Can.
Special Communication Project/Campaign: Kindergarten Live!
Brian Woodland, APR, director, communications & community relations support services & Anne-Marie Brown, communications officer -
Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Lindsay, Ontario, Can.
Special Communication Project/Campaign: Secondary School Pathways to Success - "We've Got You Covered"
Catherine Shedden, APR, communications manager
2013 Gold Medallion Winners
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Bentonville (Ark.) Public Schools
Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Trail Time”
Submitted by: Mary Ley, executive director of communications -
Capital Region BOCES/Questar III BOCES, Albany N.Y. and Castleton, N.Y.
Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Your Schools in Fiscal Peril: Running Out of Time and Options”
Submitted by: Deborah Bush-Suflita, senior communications program manager, Capital Region BOCES -
Queensbury (N.Y.) Union Free School District
Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Many Voices, One Purpose: Advocacy Campaign”
Submitted by: Mellissa J. Braham, public information specialist, Capital Region BOCES Communications Service
2012 Gold Medallion Award Winners
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Harrison School District Two, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Entry type: Public Eng./Parent Involv. — "Very Involved Parents (V.I.P.S.)" Volunteer Program
Submitted by: Jennifer Sprague, APR, former public information officer and Christine Lyle, public information officer -
Houston (Texas) ISD,
Entry type: Special Program — STAAR Communications
Submitted by: Aggie Alvez, chief of communications -
Minneapolis (Minn.) Public Schools
Entry type: Special Program — We Want You Back Campaign
Submitted by: Stan Alleyne, chief communications officer -
Rockwood School District, Wildwood, MO
Entry type: Special Program — eBackpack - Building the School-Home Connection
Submitted by: Cathy Orta, APR, communications coordinator
2011 Gold Medallion Award Winners
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Bloomington Public Schools, Bloomington, MN
Entry type: Special Program — Elementary Neighborhood School Renewal Project
Submitted by: Rick Kaufman, Exec. Dir., Community Relations -
Elk Grove USD, Elk Grove, CA
Entry type: Year-Round Program — Energy Conservation Program
Submitted by: Elizabeth Graswich, Director, Communications -
Maize USD 266, Maize, KS
Entry type: Year-Round Program — Communication Program
Submitted by: Karen McDermott, Director of Communications -
Rockwood School District, Wildwood, MO
Entry type: Public Engagement/Parent Involvement — Guiding Change FY12 Budget Process
Submitted by: Kim Cranston, Chief Communications Officer -
Simcoe Muskoka Catholic DSB, Barrie, ON
Entry type: Special Program — School Website Project
Submitted by: Diane Legg, Director of Communications & Public Affairs
2010 Gold Medallion Award Winners
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Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, VA
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Snow Communications
Submitted by: Linda Erdos, Assistant Superintendent, School & Community Relations -
Brevard Public Schools, Viera, FL
Entry type: Public Engagement/Parental Involvement – Classrooms In Crisis
Submitted by: Christine Davis, Director, District Communications -
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – “Play Fair” Athletic-Eligibility Campaign
Submitted by: Cynthia Robbins Shah-Khan, Media Relations Supervisor -
Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – “I’m In” Blue Door Student Retention Campaign
Submitted by: Steve Wasko, Chief Communications Officer -
Peel District School Board, Mississauga, ON
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Making My Way
Submitted by: Sylvia Link, APR, Manager of Communications -
Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Barrie, ON
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Making Good Tracks
Submitted by: Diane Legg, Director of Communications & Public Affairs -
Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA
Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Fit for the Future
Submitted by: Judy Leitz, Communications Coordinator; Cynthia Fenech, Communications Coordinator; and Jane Johnston, Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Services
2009 Gold Medallion Award Winners
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Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo.
2008 Mill Levy Override Election
Submitted by: Janelle Albertson, APR -
Clovis USD, Clovis, Calif.
Place of Work Marketing Campaign
Submitted by: Kelly Avants -
Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, Va.
Community Engagement: Changing School Start and Dismissal Times
Submitted by: Barbara M. Hunter, APR -
Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Salem, Ore.
Construction Bond Campaign
Submitted by: Jay Remy -
Tempe Elementary School District, Tempe, Ariz.
Scales Technology Academy 2007-2008 Marketing Campaign
Submitted by: Delaina Biernstein -
Wichita Public Schools, USD 259, Wichita, Kan.
Our Kids, Our Schools and Our Future – Bond 2008
Submitted by: Wendy Johnson, APR -
Oklahoma City Public Schools, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Stop the Violence, Start the Revolution: One Small Step
Submitted by: Kathleen Kennedy, APR
- Strong Schools, Strong Communities
Independent School District 728
Mike Schoemer