School public relations professionals across the state were applauded recently for the products of their craft during the N.C. School Public Relations Association’s annual Blue Ribbon Awards for Effective Communications celebration at the Hilton Garden Inn in Durham. Twenty-eight school districts totaled 108 awards in 11 categories. Included in the list of winners is the Rowan-Salisbury School District.
The Rowan-Salisbury School System’s Public Information Department received Blue Ribbon awards in the following categories:
Annual Report ó the 2007-2008 annual report
Calendar ó 2008-2009 Master Calendar
Internet Web site ó RSS District Web site
Marketing Campaign ó the marketing package for the opening of Shive Elementary School
Newsletter ó the district’s monthly newsletter, “Education Matters”
N.C. School Public Relatiions Association President Robert E. Kendall, Jr., public relations director for Wilson County Schools, said the work of the award winners rivaled the best work of public relations practitioners in any field.
“The work of these colleagues was judged to be superior and a credit to the practice of school public relations,” Kendall said. “This roster of excellence is tangible evidence that the association’s public relations professionals are among the nation’s finest in any discipline.”
Award categories included annual reports, calendars, electronic media, writing, Internet Web site, marketing, newsletters/ newspapers, special purpose publications, identity/imaging packages, handbooks and photography. Entries were judged by the Georgia School Public Relations Association. The Blue Ribbon Awards are cosponsored this year by NCSPRA partner schoolwires®.
Featured speaker at the celebration was Dr. Katie McGee, superintendent of Brunswick County Schools and a 2008-09 state regional Superintendent of the Year, who delivered a message about the power in public education of pursuing excellence. Prior to the award presentations, the association’s vice president, Jeff Nash, director of the customer service center for Wake County Public Schools, presented the annual Blue Ribbon Seminar. The session, titled “Come Inside, Come Inside” highlighted the importance of impeccable customer service in building confidence in the ability of public schools to succeed. Nash is also the author of “Rock ‘n Roll Customer Service,” a new book scheduled for publication this spring about addressing dismal customer service practices in America’s public schools.
The N.C. School Public Relations Association’s mission is to build support for public education through well-planned and responsible public relations.