Henry County Schools Earns 2025 NSPRA Golden Achievement, Publications and Digital Media Awards

HENRY COUNTY, GA – Henry County Schools was recently honored with two Golden Achievement Awards and two Publications and Digital Media Awards by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

HCS’ Communications Department achieved the accolades amidst a record number of entries submitted to the 2025 NSPRA National School Communications Awards contest by K-12 school districts from across the country.

Golden Achievement Awards

NSPRA’s Golden Achievement Awards recognize outstanding, strategic work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing, and engagement, including community outreach and public engagement initiatives, branding campaigns, and crisis communication and response.

HCS was one of 140 school districts nationwide, including only six in Georgia, selected to receive one or more Golden Achievement awards for various programs, projects, campaigns, and activities.

Golden Achievement Awards are presented to districts that exemplify the impactful, innovative work shaping the future of school communication by documenting the four-step strategic public relations planning process of research, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

• Website Redesign: HCS received a Golden Achievement Award for its website redesign project that formally began in February 2024 and culminated in the successful launch of 54 new district and school websites in December 2024.
  
  The district’s website redesign efforts aimed to modernize the overall interface, optimize the digital presence to serve all users, and enhance the overall user experience across devices. The new websites replaced a template that had been in use for more than 12 years.
   
• Superintendent Search: HCS received a Golden Achievement Award for a comprehensive communications plan that provided stakeholders with detailed updates throughout last year’s six-month search process for a new superintendent.
  
  In prioritizing transparency, HCS publicized opportunities for the community to provide input in the early stages of the search process and shared progress updates through various forums, including board meetings, press releases, and the district’s website and social media platforms.

Publication and Digital Media Awards

NSPRA’s Publication and Digital Media Awards recognize outstanding tactical materials, including publications, newsletters, social media, websites, and videos.

HCS was honored with Publication and Digital Media Awards in the following categories:

• Photography: HCS received an Excellence Award for a photograph, titled “All Smiles on the First Day of School,” and was among over 100 school districts, including five from Georgia, to receive photography awards. Of these, HCS was among 37 school districts, including three from Georgia, to win the Excellence Award – the highest level of award in this category. 
  
  The photo also won a gold award and was among 12 other publications awards HCS received at the 2024 Georgia Schools Public Relations Association Annual Conference last fall.
   
• Calendar: HCS received a Merit Award for its printed HCS Calendar/Contact Card, distributed to all schools and district offices at the beginning of the school year in order to provide a clear, at-a-glance overview of the district’s school year calendar and contact details.
  
  HCS was among 45 school districts, including two from Georgia, selected from a nationwide pool to be recognized in this category.

“Henry County Schools’ communications team ensures the district remains transparent, accessible, and connected to our community,” said Superintendent Dr. John Pace III. “The awards reflect the team’s commitment to innovation and high standards in showcasing our work to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student. We commend their diligence and efforts to highlight our devotion to shaping bright futures for Henry County students.”

NSPRA's mission is to develop professionals to communicate strategically, build trust, and foster positive relationships in support of their school communities.