The New York School Public Relations Association’s Communicator of the Year award recognizes the exemplary leadership of New York’s school communications professionals for demonstrated 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. Nominees must be current members of NYSPRA.

Award Deadline for 2024 Award

Nominations must be submitted on or before Friday, August 16, 2024. The award winner will be notified in the fall of 2024 and recognized at the 2025 NYSPRA Annual Conference, slated to be held in spring 2025. The winner will receive paid registration to the NYSPRA Spring Conference.

Criteria

The nominee:

• Demonstrates the use of effective public relations strategies aimed at supporting public education.
• Has been 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 as someone whose communication skills and messages have impacted the lives of others.

Nomination Process

Nominations for the Communicator of the Year Award may be made by anyone. An individual may submit more than one nomination; however each nomination must include its own, individual set of nomination materials and nomination form.

To nominate someone:

1. Submit an application using the Official Nomination Form.
2. Write a narrative, no longer than 800 words, outlining how the person or organization has met the award’s criteria.
3. The submission may also include up to 10 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. Supplemental nomination materials should be sent to NYSPRA at nyspra@nyspra.org on or before Friday, August 16, 2024. There is no fee to nominate for the Communicator of the Year. 
5. Each nomination will be confirmed by a personal response via email. Please resend materials if you do not receive a reply acknowledging receipt.