February 15, 2023
The North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) recently announced that the Cumberland County Schools (CCS) Communications and Community Engagement team received 12 Blue Ribbon Awards in the categories of Marketing, Publications, Special Events & Programs, Digital Media Engagement, Photography and Excellence in Writing.
The Communications and Community Engagement team also earned a “Best of the Best” Award in the Special Events & Programs category for its public relations support of the 2022 STARward STEM Expo. The “Best of the Best” Award is bestowed on the school districts that displayed the most outstanding work in each category.
“Every day, we are blessed to have an opportunity to partner with premier professionals throughout the district and tell powerful stories about the transformative power of public education,” said Dr. Lindsay Whitley, the associate superintendent for Communications and Community Engagement. “Effectively communicating with internal and external stakeholders is a key component of school improvement. I am proud of the work that our team does each day to keep everyone informed about the happenings in the district. Together, we are rising!”
CCS won awards in the following categories:
BRONZE AWARDS
- Digital Media Engagement: Meet 5 of our Cutest Kindergartners | Kindergarten Enrollment
- Publications: CCS Partnership Brochure
- Special Events & Programs: Black History Month Speaker Series
- Special Events & Programs: Cumberland County Schools' 2023 Administrators of the Year – “Together We Will Rise: A Principal’s Perspective”
SILVER AWARDS
- Excellence in Writing: Class of 2022 Sharing College Essays
- Marketing: Public Schools Week (Feb. 21-25, 2022) – WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
- Special Events & Programs: Cumberland County Schools’ 2023 Teacher & Beginning Teacher of the Year Celebration – “Together We Will Rise: A Teacher’s Perspective”
GOLD AWARDS
- Digital Media Engagement: Superintendent's Focus June 2022: Graduation
- Digital Media Engagement: Carolina Panthers Teams-Up With Local Community - Backpack Giveaway
- Photography: Successful Graduate of the Class of 2022
- Publications: 2022 Annual Report: Reimagining the Cumberland Commitment
- Special Events & Programs: 2022 STARward STEM Expo
BEST OF THE BEST AWARD
- Special Events & Programs: 2022 STARward STEM Expo
Ken Derksen, NCSPRA President and Executive Director for Community Engagement & Student and Family Support for Wayne County Public Schools, said the work of the award winners exemplifies the high standards members demonstrate in their daily school communications programs. “I congratulate all of our Blue Ribbon Award recipients for achieving this statewide recognition for their school districts,” added Derksen. “These awards highlight the superior work being accomplished in the area of school communications and all that our members are doing to support and promote public schools across North Carolina.”
NCSPRA recognizes outstanding communications through its Blue Ribbon Awards program each year. CCS was one of 38 school districts statewide to receive a Blue Ribbon Award. This year’s submission categories included: Marketing, Digital Media Engagement, Electronic Media, Excellence in Writing, Publications, Image/Graphic Design, Photography, and Special Projects and Events. The Georgia School Public Relations Association judged NCSPRA’s 2022 Blue Ribbon entries.
NCSPRA is a statewide professional organization serving more than 175 members. Its mission is to build support for public education through well-planned and responsible public relations. For more information, please visit the NCSPRA Facebook page or www.ncspra.org.
