Harris County Department of Education communicators earned 16 awards for outstanding education communications from the Texas School Public Relations Association. Communications and Creative Services staff received the awards at the 57th Annual Texas School Public Relations Association Conference in Cedar Creek, Texas on Feb. 20.

This year, over 1,700 entries were judged through categories including photography, writing, video, advertisements, social media, brochures and posters. Categories of entries are divided based on merit, including Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Gold Star. Judges reviewed highest-scoring Gold Star winners and selected Best of Category awards. The Crystal Commendation category consisted of a multifaceted promotional program or campaign employing a variety of media, occurring over a period of time and encompassing well-defined goals, strategies or activities. One Crystal Commendation award was given out per category.

A top-category Crystal Commendation award was awarded for photography portfolio to Dave Einsel.

In addition, the communications staff gained six Gold Star awards for the following entries:

• Harris County School District Calendars, Schools division, calendar/planner, Angela Hider, Lindsey Sanders and Carol Vaughn
• HCDE- Holiday Card, Communications division, holiday/commemorative, Angela Hider
• Free, Skilled Medical Classes at HCDE Supply Building-Block Approach to Medical Careers, Adult Education division, published news releases, edited, Carol Vaughn
• HCDE Pocket Folder, Communications division, advertisement-other, Angela Hider
• 10th Annual All-Earth Ecobot Challenge!, Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids division, video-general event, Daniel Villarreal
• The Hub, Communications division, e-newsletter internal, Carol Vaughn, Lindsey Sanders, Daniel Villarreal, Juan Lopez, Angela Hider, Dave Einsel and Tammy Lanier

Six Silver Stars and three Bronze Star were awarded:

• Head Start Annual Report 2016-17, Head Start division, annual report, Angela Hider and Lindsey Sanders
• Emotional Harvey Narrative Earns Kinkaid Student HCDE Regional Best-in-Class Award, Scholastic Art & Writing, Writing, Carol Vaughn
• Moving Forward: A Bicycle and Determination Propel ESL Student to GED, Adult Education division, published news or feature, Carol Vaughn
• Storybooks Come to Life through HCDE Occupational Therapist Assistant, Girl Scout, School-Based Therapy Services division, published news or feature, Carol Vaughn
• Team Building, Teaching and Learning Center division, photo-other subjects, Dave Einsel
• Go Public: Why you should support public schools, Client Engagement division, video-promotional, Dave Einsel and Daniel Villarreal
• First Day Friends, Schools division, photo-other subjects (Bronze Star), Dave Einsel
• HCDE’s Tax Rate!, Administration division, video-marketing (Bronze Star), Dave Einsel, Lindsey Sanders and Daniel Villarreal
• Making Afterschool Real: 3 Community Projects, CASE for Kids division, video-marketing (Bronze Star), Dave Einsel, Lindsey Sanders and Daniel Villareal

The Texas School Public Relations Association is a nonprofit, professional organization dedicated to promoting public schools through effective communications. With more than 900 members, TSPRA is comprised primarily of public information and communications professionals who serve public school districts and education organizations of Texas. Membership also includes superintendents, administrators, principals, web/technology/electronic media and graphic professionals, education foundation executive directors and their boards, association executive directors, school consultants, vendors, and others who support public education in the state. TSPRA is a chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.

Photo: Members of the Harris County Department of Education’s Communications and Creative Services and Client Engagement attend the 2019 Texas School Public Relations Association Conference where the team earned 16 awards for work which benefits Harris County students and educators.