Valdosta City Schools Director of Public Relations Jennifer Steedley and Communications Specialist Candacey Griffin recently represented the district at the 2026 National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) National Seminar in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Over four days, Steedley and Griffin learned alongside school public relations professionals from across the nation, participating in professional development focused on emerging trends, innovative communication strategies, digital engagement, crisis communications, storytelling, artificial intelligence, and more effective and efficient ways to connect schools with the communities they serve.
The conference also provided an opportunity to celebrate national recognition for the work happening right here in Valdosta City Schools.
During the seminar, the VCS Communications Department was officially recognized for earning 11 awards in the 2026 NSPRA Publications and Digital Media Awards competition, including two Awards of Excellence, NSPRA’s highest recognition within a category.
The district earned national honors across a wide range of communications work, including publications, video production, video series, social media, marketing materials, the VCS website, and the Code of Student Conduct.
The two Awards of Excellence recognized the district’s 2025 Fall Welcome Guide in the Special Purpose Publication category and Committed to the V in the Video category.
VCS also received Awards of Merit for Beyond the Title: The Work of a Principal, Beat the Summer Slide, the Teacher of the Year Video Series, the VCS 2025-2026 Code of Student Conduct, and the district website, Vision. Values. Victory. Go Cats!
Honorable Mentions were awarded for Valdosta City Schools social media, Thankful for the Good in Every Day, the Georgia Football State Playoffs Promotion, the Class of 2025 Graduate Series, and the 2025-2026 VCS Facts & Figures.
One of the nationally recognized projects, Beat the Summer Slide, demonstrates the impact creative and strategic communication can have well beyond simply sharing information. The campaign helped increase engagement across VCS social media platforms by 173 percent, reached more than 1 million people, and contributed to nearly 10,000 new followers across district channels.
Steedley credits much of the success of the district’s growing video presence to Griffin’s creativity, production talent, and ability to transform ideas into engaging content that connects with audiences.
“Candacey has an incredible talent for taking an idea and finding a creative way to bring it to life,” Steedley said. “Her work, particularly through our video campaigns, has helped us reach audiences in ways we never imagined. Beat the Summer Slide is a perfect example. It was fun and creative, but it also had a purpose, and the response showed us just how powerful authentic storytelling can be.”
For Steedley and Griffin, however, the four days in New Orleans were about more than receiving awards. The NSPRA National Seminar provided an opportunity to learn from colleagues across the country, explore new tools and strategies, exchange ideas, and return to Valdosta with renewed energy for the year ahead.
“We are incredibly proud of the national recognition, but one of the greatest benefits of NSPRA is having the opportunity to learn from some of the very best school communicators in the country,” Steedley said. “We are coming home rejuvenated, inspired, and full of new ideas and better ways to work more creatively and efficiently. There is always more to learn, new ways to grow, and another great story waiting to be told.”
Those new ideas will now be put into action as the VCS Communications Department continues its work to keep families informed, strengthen community connections, celebrate students and employees, and share the stories happening throughout Valdosta City Schools.
The National School Public Relations Association is the leading professional organization for school communication professionals and education leaders. Its National Seminar brings together school communicators from across the United States for professional learning, collaboration, and recognition of excellence in school public relations.