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2024-25 OSPRA Awards

The OSPRA Communication Awards program celebrates the most creative and effective work in school PR. Plus, members receive valuable feedback from fellow communications pros. This year, we have updated the award categories to better align with NSPRA’s categories—something our members requested.

Entries are welcome from public and private schools, districts, special schools, regional education service districts, and education partners. Submissions are accepted from OSPRA professional and superintendent members only.

This year's award submission window is closed. Award winners will be announced at our awards luncheon on day 2 of the conference! We will share winners on this page shortly after.

⭐️ MARKETING/BRANDING CAMPAIGNS
This category highlights cohesive and visually compelling branding and marketing efforts, including logos, banners, stationery, and other graphic elements that form a unified identity. Entries may also encompass marketing campaigns with distinct branding that aligns with strategic communication goals. Submissions must include three or more separate pieces within a single entry.

Entries are evaluated based on strategic communication best practices and alignment with the following criteria:

Research: Evidence of thoughtful analysis, including primary or secondary research, with clearly defined goals and measurable objectives.
Planning: Demonstration of meticulous planning, addressing strategies, tactics, target audiences, budgets, resources, and staff responsibilities.
Implementation: Execution of strategies and activities as outlined in the plan.
Evaluation: Assessment of outcomes, including recommendations for future improvements or next steps.

Supporting materials that demonstrate exceptional, strategic work—such as websites, videos, social media assets, or other materials—are encouraged. Brief summaries or hyperlinks are sufficient and should not cause the entry to exceed the two-page total.

CAMPAIGNS
This category recognizes a variety of strategic communication efforts, including:

Year-Round Communication Programs: Ongoing initiatives designed to engage and inform audiences year-round.
Public Engagement Initiatives: Efforts to foster interaction and build community connections.
Finance Campaigns: Strategies focused on tax levies, bond issues, budgets, or financial topics.
Crisis Communication Plans: Communication during challenging or emergency situations.
Special Projects: Targeted initiatives such as education advocacy or marketing campaigns.

Entries must summarize the campaign on two pages, adhering to the RPIE framework:

Research: Analyze the campaign’s purpose, audience, and needs. Define clear goals and measurable objectives.
Planning: Outline strategies, target audiences, resources, and staff roles.
Implementation: Showcase how tactics like social media, events, or messaging were executed.
Evaluation: Highlight outcomes, measurable results, and recommendations for improvement.

Include URLs or descriptions of supporting materials (e.g., websites, videos, or PDFs) that enhance the entry but do not exceed two pages.

PUBLICATIONS & DIGITAL MEDIA
This category recognizes outstanding education publications, newsletters, websites, and other digital media. Entries may include:

Annual Report: A yearly publication summarizing goals, activities, and achievements.
Financial Publication: Materials on tax levies, bond issues, budgets, or financial topics.
Magazine: Periodic publications with news articles, features, photos, and more (print or digital).
Newsletter: Internal or external newsletters published periodically (print or digital).
Podcast: A single school or district podcast episode.
Special Purpose Publication: Booklets, brochures, posters, or other specific-purpose materials.
Website: Website redesigns or special-purpose/short-term project websites.

Entries should adhere to the RPIE framework:

Research: Analyze audience needs, goals, and the product's purpose. Define key messages.
Planning: Outline objectives, strategies, and design elements that reinforce the organization’s brand.
Implementation: Deliver engaging, error-free content with organized layouts and visuals that enhance readability.
Evaluation: Highlight measurable outcomes, such as audience feedback or improved engagement.

Judges assess how effectively entries communicate their purpose, with emphasis on clarity, creativity, and strategic alignment.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING CAMPAIGNS/PROGRAMS

This category recognizes outstanding communication efforts that prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Submissions should showcase intentional strategies to engage diverse audiences, promote equity, and foster belonging. Campaigns may focus on community outreach, partnerships, or systemic change, including policy-level initiatives.

Entries should follow the RPIE framework:

Research: Analyze audience needs and opportunities through a DEIB lens. Define clear, equity-focused goals and objectives.
Planning: Outline strategies, resources, and tactics that promote inclusion and create pathways for belonging.
Implementation: Execute inclusive messaging, culturally relevant content, and creative formats tailored to diverse audiences.
Evaluation: Highlight measurable outcomes such as increased engagement, community partnerships, or policy changes.

Judges assess alignment with DEIB principles, creativity, and the campaign’s impact in fostering equity and belonging.

Our OSPRA Board is committed to supporting the equity work of our members and their school communities. We are also committed to keeping students and staff engaged in equity work safe. Due to the recent rhetoric around DEI, entries submitted to this category will not be published externally on the OSPRA website or through OSPRA's official social media channels. Your work will only be provided to other OSPRA members upon request and with your approval. Thank you for your steadfast commitment to equity in your district.

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
This category recognizes campaigns on platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or others. Submissions should include three social media posts that demonstrate a well-crafted campaign with clear objectives and target audiences. Campaigns should integrate data, showcase creativity, and actively encourage engagement.

Entries should follow the RPIE framework:

Research: Analyze audience behaviors, preferences, and platform trends. Based on data or feedback, define clear goals.
Planning: Outline strategies, tactics, and timelines tailored to platforms and audiences.
Implementation: Deliver engaging, high-quality posts with creative visuals and platform-specific strategies.
Evaluation: Highlight outcomes, such as engagement metrics, audience reach, or feedback.

Judges evaluate creativity, strategic alignment, and the effectiveness of using social media to connect with audiences and achieve goals.

VIDEO: STORYTELLING
This category recognizes short and long-format videos that effectively narrate stories of students, staff, schools, or programs for internal or external audiences. Each entry is limited to a single program, presentation, or episode, with judges reviewing only the first five minutes. Videos should have a clear purpose, a defined audience, and high-quality production that integrates audio, visuals, and creative elements like titles, animations, and graphics. In-house videos—fully produced by district teams without external contractor support—receive additional consideration.

Entries should follow the RPIE framework:

Research: Define the story’s purpose, audience, and context. Identify compelling, impactful narratives.
Planning: Use strategic pre-production processes, including storyboarding, scripting, and resource planning.
Implementation: Deliver high-quality production with engaging visuals, audio, and editing techniques.
Evaluation: Highlight outcomes such as audience feedback, engagement metrics, or demonstrated impact.

Judges assess creativity, technical excellence, and the video’s ability to connect with its audience and achieve its goals.

SCHOOL COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

NSPRA's National School Communicator of the Year Award honors one outstanding individual in the school public relations profession each year.

This program recognizes the outstanding leadership and contributions of active, front-line school communicators who work full-time in school districts or education service agencies. It is not designed to recognize service at retirement. Current members of the NSPRA executive board are ineligible to receive this award.

To be eligible for the National School Communicator of the Year Award, candidates must first be selected by their chapter as its Communicator of the Year based on their chapter’s selection criteria.

JUDGING AREAS:

Each candidate for the Oregon School Communicator of the Year Award will be evaluated on the following four judging areas:

Leadership: Demonstrated leadership in successfully meeting the communication needs of their school system or educational service agency. Examples may include leading successful communication campaigns, overcoming an internal communication challenge, or creating a robust strategic communication plan.
Communication: Demonstrated strength in both personal and organizational communication. Examples may include evidence of persuasion, the power of engagement, or influence in decision-making.
Professionalism: Constant improvement of knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and mentoring to others. Examples may include achieving accreditation in public relations (APR), participating in NSPRA’s Mentor Match program, or serving as a speaker at the chapter or national level.
Community Involvement: Active participation in their local community activities and an understanding of regional, national, and international issues. Examples may include volunteering in their local community, organizing a fund-raising event for their community, or writing an article that demonstrates a broad knowledge of the complexities of public education.

All activities or accomplishments must have taken place within the previous five years. Additionally, the nominee must have the ability and skills necessary to represent school communications in a professional manner, including but not limited to high-quality written communication and public speaking skills. The nominee should maintain the highest standards of personal conduct and recognize that their personal conduct is held up to public scrutiny.

You can nominate yourself, a co-worker, or just someone in OSPRA that you admire.

RULES FOR ALL OSPRA AWARDS

Divisions

The communication awards program is broken into two divisions.

Division A: Communication Teams with 1-2 members
Division B: Communication Teams with 3+ members

Limit

One entry per district/ESD per category
Please submit projects completed between March 2024 and February 2025

Judging Criteria

Certain categories may have specific requirements listed in the category descriptions. Overall, judges will consider factors such as:

Writing style and clarity
How design supports the message
Effectiveness of the communications tool for the intended audience

Honors

Each entry will be evaluated and assigned an award category based on points received.

1st Place = Oregon’s Best
2nd Place = Award of Excellence

Selection and Awards

The selection committee will include current OSPRA board members and 2-3 current NSPRA-affiliated "SPRA" members. Judges will not review their own submissions. Each judge will evaluate and score entries from a division other than their own district.