NSPRA honors D21 with three awards for outstanding school communications

Community Consolidated School District 21 is proud to announce that its Communications Department has been recognized with three Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).

The annual awards program honors outstanding communications efforts from school districts and education organizations across the country in categories ranging from publications and marketing materials to photography, digital media and branding. Each submission is evaluated on quality, effectiveness, creativity and overall excellence in school communications.

Awards are presented in three tiers, with the Award of Excellence representing NSPRA’s highest level of recognition, followed by the Award of Merit and Honorable Mention.

District 21 received the following accolades:

• Award of Excellence – Annual Report: A Year in Review: 2024-2025 – The district’s comprehensive annual report highlighting key accomplishments, student success stories, strategic initiatives and community engagement efforts throughout the school year.

• Award of Excellence – Photo: Locked In: Chess Tournament at Longfellow – A photograph capturing a student’s extreme concentration and engagement during an end-of-year chess tournament at Longfellow.

• Honorable Mention – Marketing Materials: “Know the Difference” Anti-Bullying Cards – A set of educational cards designed to help students, families and staff recognize the distinctions between bullying, conflict and mean behavior while reinforcing District 21’s commitment to creating safe and supportive learning environments.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from NSPRA,” said Cassandra Young, director of communications and community engagement. “These awards reflect our department’s commitment to telling the stories of our students and staff, providing meaningful resources for families, and creating communications that inform, engage and inspire our school community.”

NSPRA will formally recognize award recipients at its annual National Seminar in New Orleans this summer.

(Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian versions of the annual report can be found on our website)