The Mesquite Independent School District’s Communications Department earned a record 51 awards, including four Best of Category awards, from the Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) at its annual convention February 21-23 in Austin. 

Allison Lewallyn and Kristin Odom won Best of Category in the internal newsletter category for InTouch, the district’s monthly employee newsletter.  Ms. Odom and Rosario Welle each earned the top honor for their work on the book “Where Will You Go?”  Ms. Odom won for creating the book while Ms. Welle won for the Spanish translation.  Ian Halperin added a Best of Category in the photo division. 

In all, the communication staff earned 40 Gold and Silver stars in print categories and 11 in the video/electronics category.  MISD competes in the division for districts with more than 30,000 students.

“The Mesquite ISD has a long history of providing accurate, timely information to our stakeholders in a variety of ways,” said Laura Jobe, MISD’s administrative officer for communications.   “I am very proud of the staff for their efforts to highlight and re-enforce the positive things that go on everyday in the MISD.”

TSPRA, based in Austin, is a professional organization whose 800-plus members are dedicated to improving public education in Texas by promoting effective public relations, providing professional development for its members, and improving communication between Texans and their public schools.