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Awards and Recognition
KanSPRA Distinguished Service Award

This award recognizes a members who:

  • are advocates for public education in Kansas through work in the nominee’s school district and/or the State of Kansas;
  • are committed to a creative, dedicated, professional approach to school communications;
  • and who are active in the Kansas School Public Relations Association as a member who demonstrates excellent personal communications skills, shares expertise and best-practices with colleagues, and supports and encourages fellow KanSPRA members in their efforts to promote public education.

To be eligible, members must be working full-time in school public education, communications or public relations for at least five years. The award recipient receives a special award, presented at the annual state conference.

Distinguished Service Award winners are:

  • 2007- Karen McDermott, APR, Maize
KanSPRA Newcomer of the Year Award

This award recognizes a members who:

  • are advocatse for public education in Kansas through work in the nominee’s school district and/or the State of Kansas;
  • are committed to a creative, dedicated, professional approach to school communications;
  • and are active in the Kansas School Public Relations Association as a member who demonstrates excellent personal communications skills, a commitment to being involved in KanSPRA activities, and the desire to accept chapter leadership responsibilities.

To be elibigle, members must be employed full-time in the field of public school education, communications and/or public relations for no more than 24 months at the time of the nomination deadline. The award recipeint recieves a scholarship to the NSPRA Seminar, presented at the annual state conference.

Newcomer of the Year Award winners are:

  • 2007- Kristin Magette, Eudora
Communicator of the Year
This award recognizes principals, superintendents or other administrators who have been outstanding in the field of school communications. Recipients are nominated by KanSPRA members.
  
Communicator of the Year Award Winners:
  • 2002: Andy Tompkins, KSDE Topeka
  • 2001: John Heim, Emporia
  • 2000: David Benson, Blue Valley
  • 1999: Marilyn Layman, De Soto
  • 1998: Ron Wimmer, Olate
  • 1997: Mary Devin, Geary County
  • 1996: Dale Dennis, KSDE Topeka
  • 1995: Kay Highbarger, El Dorado
  • 1994: Elizabeth Baker, Derby
  • 1993: Gerald Henderson, USA Topeka
  • 1992: Melva Owens, Derby
  • 1991: Max Heim, Junction City
Professional Achievement Award
This award is given to a KanSPRA member who exemplifies the purpose and mission of KanSPRA and school public relations/communications. The recipient demonstrates sound communications practices by coordinating a comprehensive school communications project, event or program. Recipient must have been in school communications for at least 24 months and were nominated by KanSPRA members.
  
Professional Achievement Award Winners:
  • 2000: Carol Ann Farmer, De Soto
  • 1999: Marsha Chappelow, Blue Valley
  • 1998: Brad Stauffer, Topeka
  • 1997: Janelle Albertson, KSDE Topeka
  • 1996: Sandra Terril, Piper
  • 1995: Barbara Long, Topeka
  • 1994: Theresa Hearn, Derby
  • 1993: Carol Pitts, Buhler
  • 1992: Melanie Terrill, Salina
  • 1991: Bob Gast, KSDE Topeka
NSPRA Accreditation
KanSPRA members receive national accreditation through the National School Public Relations Association.
  
NSPRA Accredited Members:
  • Charles Volland APR, Geary County
  • Carroll Macke APR, Kansas City
  • Janelle Albertson APR, Boulder (CO)
  • Carol Ann Farmer APR, De Soto
  • Brad Stauffer APR, Topeka
  • Richard Barger APR, Barger Consulting
  • Wendy Johnson APR, Wichita
  • Karen McDermott APR, Maize
  • Martin Weishaar APR, Auburn-Washburn
Past President's Individual Plaque

This award is presented annually at the KanSPRA Fall Conference.
 
Retirement Recognition
Retired members receive a lifetime membership to KanSPRA and are listed as retired in the membership handbook.
  
NSPRA Distinguished Chapter for a Single Project Award
KanSPRA received the top national award in 2000 at the NSPRA Seminar in San Antonio, Texas, for the chapter's efforts in creating working partnerships with state educational associations and agencies to provide professional school public relations advice, counsel and assistance.
  
NSPRA Blue Ribbon Award
KanSPRA annually is recognized as a Blue Ribbon Chapter by the National School Public Relations Association. The chapter received the NSPRA Blue Ribbon Chapter Award at the 2008 NSPRA Conference in Washington, D.C. The Blue Ribbon Award is given to chapters that effectively demonstrate the strength and professionalism of their membership. Kansas is one of only two states that have received the Blue Ribbon Award every year since the inception of the award.
  
NSPRA Chapter Excellence Award
KanSPRA received an Honorable Mention Award for Over-All Chapter Excellence at the NSPRA Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1998. KanSPRA also received an Honorable Mention Distinguished Chapter Award at the 1999 NSPRA Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
  
NSPRA Scholarships
KanSPRA offers a minimum of one scholarship each year to the NSPRA Seminar. The scholarship covers the cost of the seminar registration. All KanSPRA members in good standing are eligible to apply. The scholarship is awarded to the Newcomer of the Year Award recipient.
  
Chapter President Support
KanSPRA pays the president’s registration at the NSPRA seminar or annual professional dues, which support his/her duties during the term. Requests for payment of professional dues in lieu of the registration fee must be approved by the Executive Committee.
  
KASB/KanSPRA Publications Contest
Each year, KanSPRA, in conjunction with the Kansas Association of School Boards, holds a publications contest. The contest not only provides recognition for outstanding communications programs in Kansas schools, but also serves as a model for what all schools should be doing to effectively communicate with their publics.
  
KanSPRA supports public education in many ways
KanSPRA is an organization comprised solely of volunteers. That is why members take seriously the commitment they make not only to KanSPRA, but to the many other public education causes KanSPRA supports:
  • Kansas Teacher of the Year—KanSPRA provides funding for this program. KanSPRA is represented on the selection committee each year.
  • Confidence in Public Education Task Force—This committee's chair is always a KanSPRA member and two additional task force members come from the KanSPRA ranks. The KanSPRA South Central Regional members host the Friends of Education Banquet each year. In addition, KanSPRA donates funding to support its various programs.
  • Kansas Exemplary Educators Network - KanSPRA assists in the promotion and advocacy of these statewide programs.
  • Kansas Learning First Alliance - a partnership of 24 leading educational associations with a common mission:  to unite the education community to improve our outstanding public education system, pre-K through higher education,
    to empower each Kansan to succeed in the diverse, interdependent world of the 21st century.
  

 

 

 
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