Communicator of the Year

The SC/NSPRA Communicator of the Year Award recognizes the exemplary leadership of South Carolina’s school communications professionals. These professionals demonstrate commitment to the enhancement of communication and relationships between public schools and the students, families and communities they serve.

The award honors those who recognize that communication is a critical component of leadership.

Award deadline

Nominations must be submitted on or before March 1. The award winner will be notified and recognized at the SC/NSPRA Rewards for Excellence Awards Luncheon. The winner will receive a $500 stipend to be used for registration for the NSPRA Annual Conference or other professional development approved by the SC/NSPRA board.

Criteria

The nominee:

• Demonstrates the use of effective public relations strategies aimed at supporting public education.
• Is recognized as an advocate for public education and has earned a reputation as being highly credible with a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrates exceptional leadership and communication skills.
• Demonstrates experience and involvement in communicating with diverse audiences.
• Implements communication strategies that demonstrate strategic thinking, which contributes to the betterment of public education.
• Demonstrates effective personal communication with a wide variety of audiences.
• Demonstrates ethics and professionalism in communication.
• Has been recognized as a role model for communicators and non-communicators alike, and is someone whose communication skills and messages have impacted the lives of others.
• Has served in a school communications role for at least five years.
• Is a current member of SC/NSPRA.

Nomination Process

Nominations for the Communicator of the Year Award may be made by any SC/NSPRA member, the nominee’s supervisor, or a colleague from the nominee’s school district/agency/organization. The award selection committee will be made up of the awards program coordinator (designated by the SC/NSPRA president) and at least two community representatives working in public relations appointed by the program coordinator.

To nominate someone:

1. Submit an application packet using the Official Nomination Form as the cover sheet.
2. Include a narrative, no longer than 500 words, outlining how the person has met the award’s criteria.
3. The submission may also include up to five pages of supporting documentation including, but not limited to, data demonstrating the nominee’s effectiveness in meeting the award criteria, samples of the nominee’s communications work, measures of effectiveness and letters of support.
4. Each nomination should be sent to SC/NSPRA by email to Judy LeGrand at jlegrand@scsba.org on or before the deadline as a PDF file. There is no fee to nominate someone for the SC/NSPRA Communicator of the Year Award.