National Education Association receives "Best of Show" at PRSA-NCC Thoth Awards

  • 09/27/16

Washington, D.C. – The National Education Association took home a record-number of public affairs awards including “Best of Show” for its “Ending No Child Left Behind So That Every Student Succeeds” campaign at the 48th annual Public Relations Society of America-National Capital Chapter Thoth Awards Gala, held at the National Press Club in Washington on Thursday evening.

With limited budget and staff, NEA created a comprehensive communications campaign that was instrumental to last year’s passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced the highly controversial and failed No Child Left Behind federal education law. NEA’s campaign was the recipient of Thoth’s inaugural award for the “Outstanding Use of Research, Measurement and Evaluation,” a new category presented in partnership with the Institute for Public Relations. NEA also received programmatic awards in the categories of “Best Public Affairs: Associations/Non-Profits” and “Best Community Relations” along with component wins in “Best Feature Stories: Editorials, Op-Ed Columns” and “Best Social Media: Advocacy.”

“For nearly 13 years, we heard from parents, educators and students that No Child Left Behind was not working. We knew replacing it with a better K-12 federal education law would not occur without the inspiring and herculean efforts of educators across the country,” said NEA Executive Director John C. Stocks. “NEA led a national communications strategy that amplified the voices of educators, and their message was heard loud and clear in Congress. As a result, the Every Student Succeed Act passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.”

Sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America’s largest and fastest growing chapter, the 1,500-member National Capital Chapter, the Thoth Awards recognize the most outstanding, strategic public relations programs and components developed and produced in the Greater Washington area. Named for the Egyptian god of communication, the Thoth (pronounced “tot”) Awards are recognized in 35 categories, including 17 program categories that celebrate the very best PR campaigns and 18 component categories that highlight top accomplishments in PR tactics.

“With the significant contributions taking place throughout the Washington D.C. area in our business, the top-notch work generated by the professionals within PRSA’s National Capital Chapter is looked to as a model of excellence nationwide,” said Joseph P. Truncale, CEO of the national PRSA organization, who was on hand for the Thoth Awards gala. “I’m proud to congratulate the Thoth Award recipients and certificate winners, who have established themselves as role models for the public relations stars of tomorrow.”

Earlier this year, the campaign snagged the Award of Excellence in the category “Public Affairs — Associations/Nonprofit Organizations” at the PRSA Silver Anvils and took home “Best Advocacy or Awareness Campaign” in the 2016 Nonprofit PR Awards, sponsored by PR Daily. The campaign also has been named a finalist in the “Public Affairs” category in the 2016 PRNews Platinum Awards, which will be announced in October at an awards luncheon in New York.

Summaries of NEA’s awards entries and a complete list of winners can be found at bit.ly/2dlCRbt and photos of the Thoth Awards gala can be viewed at bit.ly/2cywqki.

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