Maine Township High School District 207 communications staff honored

District 207 earned several statewide awards for exceptional communications efforts recently from the Illinois Chapter/National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA).

INSPRA held its annual Communications Contest Awards Sept. 10, recognizing the top communications in the state. Professional school communicators from across the country judged the 133 submissions. Each entry was evaluated by three judges against a rubric of excellence, with awards given to those who scored within the established ranges for merit and excellence.

The district earned an Award of Merit in the Golden Achievement category from INSPRA for the COVID-19 Relief Efforts: Helping Those Most in Need. The Golden Achievement award is the highest honor category that INSPRA bestows in their communications contest.

The Golden Achievement award recognizes the team effort that went into raising more than $110,000 for District 207 families after COVID-19 shut down schools across the state in March of 2020. The campaign included social media posts, news releases, a video and other strategies to raise awareness of the fund and solicit donations.

In addition, the district earned honors in the following categories:

• The videos "My Plan, My Story: Nicole Filip" (https://youtu.be/nv1b4c62AGQ) and "STEM" (https://youtu.be/4M086YCf5ak) each earned an Award of Excellence in the Video (In House) category, honoring lead on the project Coordinator of Digital Media Dan Kolen.

• The "District 207 Newsletter" earned an Award of Merit in the Newsletter (Printed) category, honoring lead on the project Director of Communications Brett Clark.

• The website earned an Award of Merit, honoring lead on the project Clark.

• The video "District 207 During the Pandemic - A Year in Review" (https://youtu.be/5mJpCTglhW8) earned an Award of Merit in the Video (In House) category, honoring Kolen.

"This recognition of your district's work recognizes that it was judged to be of the highest quality by school communicators from across the country," said INSPRA President Alex Mayster, director of Communications for Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124.

"The entries in this year's communication contest not only showcase the ability of our members to thoughtfully and accurately communicate with constituents on a regular basis, but also shined a spotlight on the importance of having professionals in these positions to manage communication during a crisis such as the one we have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic," said INSPRA Past President Carol Smith, director of Communications and Community Relations for St. Charles CUSD 303.

INSPRA works to strengthen support for Illinois public schools and improve education for students through responsible public relations.