July 26, 2024
Rutherford County Schools
The Rutherford County Schools’ Communications Department has earned three awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in the 2024 Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards contest.
The RCS communications team is comprised of Chief Communications Officer James Evans and Communications Specialists Barton Henley and Mealand Ragland-Hudgins.
The awards were announced during NSPRA’s annual seminar, which was held July 14-17 in Seattle, Washington.
The RCS story “High School Bands Do More than Entertain,” won an Excellence in Writing award from NSPRA. Ragland-Hudgins was the lead writer on the story with contributions from Henley, and they wrote a wide-spanning story about the important role high school marching bands play in the success of the school district’s athletic programs.
The RCS story “Casey Comer recognized for saving life of pre-kindergarten student” also won an Excellence in Writing award. The story was written by Evans and chronicled a John Colemon Elementary School employee who used her emergency response training to save the life of a student who had stopped breathing during nap time.
The weekly video feature, “RCS Sunday Message,” earned a Merit award from NSPRA. Henley serves as the lead producer of the video series with contributions from Evans and Ragland-Hudgins. The popular video series provides weekly updates from Director of Schools Dr. Jimmy Sullivan and other members of the RCS leadership team on important topics for parents and employees.
PHOTO: From left, RCS Communications Specialist Barton Henley, RCS Communications Specialist Mealand Ragland-Hudgins, and RCS Chief Communications Officer James Evans.