The MinnSPRA School Communicator of the Year Award recognizes exemplary leadership of Minnesota’s superb communications professionals who demonstrate their commitment to strengthening relationships between their district, families and the community they serve. This award honors those who value communication as a crucial role for their stakeholders. The award will be presented at the 2025 MinnSPRA Spring Conference and is open to all members in good standing who have worked in the field of school public relations for at least five years (since Jan. 1, 2020, or earlier).

Nominees will be judged by a panel of school PR professionals on the following criteria:

• Leadership: Demonstrates leadership in successfully meeting the communication needs of their school system or educational service agency.
• Communication: Exemplifies strength in both personal and organizational communication.
• Professionalism: Shows constant improvement of knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and mentoring to others.
• Community Involvement: Regularly participates in their community activities, with an understanding of regional, national, and international issues.
• Credibility: Is highly valued and recognized as an advocate for their district and beyond.
• Equity: Champions communications initiatives that support their district’s strategic priorities and DEI work.
• Strategy: Demonstrates a thorough understanding of RPIE principles and effectively uses them to help achieve district strategic priorities.

The MinnSPRA winner will also be nominated for NSPRA’s School Communicator of the Year Award and will receive a scholarship of up to $1,500 to be used for the registration fee and certain expenses associated with attending the NSPRA National Seminar in Washington, D.C., in July 2025.

Note: The submission window for MinnSPRA's 2025 awards program is closed. Please watch for more information about 2026 awards opportunities in the fall.