Livingston Parish Schools Receives National Award for Voter Information Campaign
Livingston Parish Schools Receives National Award for Voter Information Campaign
Taylor Media Services Honored for Professional Excellence
LIVINGSTON, La. – Livingston Parish Public Schools has been recognized nationally for its efforts to communicate the 2021 bond proposition requesting funding for athletic facility improvements at Denham Springs High School.
The National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) presented the 1st Place Award for the nation’s top public relations campaign to Delia A. Taylor, APR, president of Taylor Media Services, for her management of the school system’s campaign. The award was presented at the NFPW National Conference in Fargo, North Dakota over the summer.
Taylor presented the gold engraved glass plaque to school board members and Superintendent Joe Murphy on Aug. 18. In return, the Denham Springs board members presented Taylor with a plaque expressing their appreciation for her expertise and professional service to the district.
“I am honored to be a part of this system’s success,” Taylor said. “The effectiveness of my work is strengthened by the support of this board and this administration in your desire to effectively inform and engage our public in the district’s efforts. We know that our school system is only as strong as the support of community, which is why investing in campaigns to create greater awareness among our stakeholders is so important.”
The award entry noted how the district effectively utilized several communication platforms to reach the target voting audience, including printed fliers, videos, outdoor signage, direct mail, public speaking engagements, social media, and school communications. Effective press coverage and the engagement of community support groups were also lauded in the report.
“The diverse strategies demonstrated a consistent message for transparency and clarity, making it easy for voters to make an informed decision,” the NFPW judges wrote in their comments. “Livingston Parish Schools has provided a positive example of how to effectively communicate important information.”
The bond election, which was held April 24, 2021, asked voters in the Denham Springs School District to extend an existing 8.64 mills currently on the tax rolls to fund much-needed athletic facility improvements at Denham Springs High School. By refinancing existing bonds over a 20-year period, the district could generate more than $13 million to spend on capital improvements without increasing the taxpayers’ annual out-of-pocket cost. The ballot measure passed by a vote of 76-percent in favor of the funding plan.
“We are greatly honored that our district’s efforts would be honored by such a distinguished group of professional journalists, communication specialists and press professionals,” Superintendent Joe Murphy said.
“Much credit goes to our Denham Springs board members for their leadership in this effort, and to Mrs. Taylor for her guidance and expertise in the campaign. Every element of the campaign was professionally delivered in a transparent manner that allowed voters in the Denham Springs area to easily understand the importance of the funding request and what deliverables to expect from the district,” he said.
Murphy noted that construction of the new and improved facilities has been underway for the past four months. The improvements include the realignment of the football field and better security designs for parking and entry, a new turf surface for soccer and football competition and a new track around the field. Adjacent to the stadium area will be a dedicated field events area. Also, coming to the campus are new baseball and softball fields.
He noted that the football field complex is expected to be completed later this fall, and the baseball and softball fields will be completed for the start of those seasons.
IMG Info: Public Relations Consultant Delia A. Taylor, APR, president of Taylor Media Services, (center) was honored at the Aug. 18 Livingston Parish School Board meeting for having received a 1st Place National Award from the National Federation of Press Women for her management of the 2021 Denham Springs Bond Extension Election to fund the improvement of athletic facilities at Denham Springs High School. She is pictured with her family and school leaders. Pictured from left to right are: Superintendent Joe Murphy, Denham Springs School Board Members Jan Benton and Cecil Harris; Jeff Taylor, Delia Taylor, Caroline Taylor, Denham Springs School Board Member Bradley Harris, and Zachary Taylor.