January, 2003
Contact: Holly Brooker
(845) 255-1450 xt.1301

The Ulster BOCES Community Relations team is busy clearing room in their office for 24 awards of recognition from the New York School Public Relations Association (NYSPRA) for the production of various school publications for Ulster BOCES, Ellenville, Highland, Marlboro, and Rondout Valley Central School Districts.

The Ulster BOCES team earned four Awards of Excellence, eight Awards of Honor, and twelve Awards of Merit in the statewide competition that had nearly 700 entries.

"This year's winners should feel especially proud of their awards," said Patricia Burgio, NYSPRA president and community relations coordinator for the Lancaster School District, Lancaster, New York. "Entries were judged by a distinguished panel of professionals from around the country. The judging was very competitive, and only about one-third of the entries received recognition."

Honorees were presented with certificates at the New York State School Boards Association's annual conference recently held in Syracuse, New York. The Kentucky and Tennessee chapters of the National School Public Relations Association served as judges, as well as individual professionals from New York and Virginia.

"We are thrilled to have earned the awards we did in a contest entered by so many colleagues in New York State," said Holly Brooker, community relations coordinator at Ulster BOCES. "Communicating with the public is such a vital component of school success. The schools we work with through our service at Ulster BOCES are committed to sharing information and building relationships with their communities. I'm so pleased that their efforts were recognized at such a prestigious level."

The Ulster BOCES Community Relations team is comprised of Holly Brooker, coordinator; Nori Gartner-Baca, senior specialist; and Dorothy Wills-Raftery, specialist. Together, they can provide school districts with a variety of services to enhance their communication and public relations efforts. By utilizing trained professionals in the public relations field, participants of this cooperative service benefit from the efficiency and effectiveness of a planned and targeted communications service, which is customized to each district's specific budget and communication needs.

AWARD WINNING PUBLICATIONS
Listed by school, entry category, and publication name

Awards of Excellence

• Ellenville Central School District, Budget/Bond Newsletter, Budget Newsletter, May, 2002
• Ulster BOCES, In-House Production (Black Ink), Literacy Brochure
• Ulster BOCES, Internal Newsletter, Showcase, Fall 2001
• Ulster BOCES, Website, www.ulsterboces.org * Ulster BOCES not only received the top score in the category, but also a perfect 100% from one judge.

Awards of Honor

• Highland Central School District, Feature Article, "Highland Welcomes Students"
• Rondout Valley Central School District, Photograph, "Turtle Eggs"
• Ulster BOCES, Photograph, "Home Sweet Home"
• Ulster BOCES, In-House Production (Black Ink), BETAC Summer Institute
• Ulster BOCES, Feature Article, "What is Ulster BOCES? Featuring Brody Selman"
• Ulster BOCES, Annual Report, "Innovation · Collaboration · Education"
• Ulster BOCES, In-House Production (Black Ink), "What is Ulster BOCES?" Success Series
• Ulster BOCES, Overall Graphics and Design, "The Many Faces of Ulster BOCES" Calendar

Awards of Merit

• Ellenville Central School District, Calendar, Ellenville Calendar 2001-2002
• Ellenville Central School District, Community Newsletter, Winter 2001
• Ellenville Central School District, Overall Graphics and Design, Budget Newsletter, May 2002
• Ellenville Central School District, Photograph, "Recess Reading"
• Highland Central School District, Community Newsletter, Highland Newsletter, Winter 2001
• Highland Central School District, Photograph, "Little Teapots"
• Marlboro Central School District, Feature Article, "District Begins Laying Framework"
• Ulster BOCES, In-House Production (Black Ink), Proposed Budget
• Ulster BOCES, PR Marketing Campaign, Customer Service Marketing
• Ulster BOCES, In-House Production (Color Ink) Customer Service Reminders
• Ulster BOCES, Internal Newsletter, BOCES Bits, Winter 2002
• Ulster BOCES, Special Purpose Publication, New Visions Brochure