The Greater Connecticut Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America has recognized CEA Communications with a number of big awards acknowledging the excellent work the association does to spotlight educators and advance the teaching profession.
“Representing Connecticut’s amazing teachers and promoting their vital work is incredibly rewarding in its own right,” says CEA Communications Director Nancy Andrews. “We were up against professional advertising agencies in many of these Mercury Award categories. That we succeeded in coming home with two gold and two bronze awards is a testament to the hard work of our CEA Communications staff and a celebration of our members’ advocacy and excellence as educators.”
CEA Communications was awarded the following:
- A gold award for excellence in videos for the What You Don’t See Campaign. The campaign highlighted the mental health crisis facing our students and included videos viewed widely on social media that featured educators, students, and parents sharing their personal stories and urging legislators to act. Thanks to the campaign and advocacy by teachers, students, and parents the legislature ended up allocating $28 million for mental health supports in schools, including the hiring of school counselors, social workers, and psychologists.
- A gold award for excellence in print magazines for the CEA Advisor. CEA’s all-member print and digital publication reports on CEA’s accomplishments, news about members, and information on other education-related topics.
A bronze award for excellence in crisis communications for the Blackout for Safe Schools. Last January, as COVID rates skyrocketed, teachers and school staff around the state wore black and held rallies to draw attention to the need for more safety protocols in schools. Numerous media outlets covered the rallies, and educators finally got the masks and tests they had been requesting.- A bronze award for excellence in podcasts for Two T’s in a Pod. CEA’s podcast, hosted by CEA President Kate Dias and Vice President Joslyn DeLancey, debuted in the fall of 2021 and features thought-provoking interviews with educators and lawmakers to help members become better informed and more effective advocates for their students and the teaching profession.
In addition to Andrews, CEA’s Communications Department is made up of Molly Ferguson, meeting and events planner, and Stephanie Boccuzzi, graphic designer (pictured at top); Eric Ahrens, web developer; Lesia Day, communications specialist; Laurel Killough, communications coordinator; and Marcus Patterson, associate.
