Worcester Schools Communications Team Wins 4 National Awards

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester Public Schools has received national recognition for multimedia work aimed at improving communication with families.

The district’s Communications Department received four 2026 Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards from the National School Public Relations Association, Worcester Public Schools said Monday. NSPRA announced the awards Friday, June 5, with all four WPS awards coming in the top “Excellence” category.

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It marks the third straight year the WPS Communications team has been recognized by the national organization, according to the district. The department is led by Chief Communications Officer Dan O’Brien.

“Effective communications continues to be a district priority because it’s an important foundation for engaged and connected school communities,” Superintendent Brian E. Allen said in a statement. “The Communications Department staff continually strive for new ways to share important information in a manner that meets people where they are. Congratulations on this deserving achievement.”

The awards recognized WPS work in video, photography and social media.

WEA-TV staff members Christine Wilson, Stephanie Castano Flores and Eric McKeon were recognized for a series of school welcome videos produced during the 2025-26 school year. The videos, each under two minutes, highlighted high schools, middle schools and the Parent Information Center, according to the district.

The videos were created to help build school identity, share welcoming messages and provide information about each school or center. They were posted on school homepages, shared on social media and broadcast on the WEA-TV cable channel.

Wilson, Castano Flores and McKeon were also recognized for WEA-TV’s programmatic outreach and news video series. The district said the videos highlight school programming, culture and news for families, staff and community members.

Recognized videos in that series included segments on the Percussion Garden at May Street School, the launch of electric school buses in WPS, Hanover Insurance Academy of the Arts, prep kitchens in Worcester schools and the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship celebration at South High.

Communications Specialist Kyle Prudhomme received an award for a photo from the South High Community School graduation ceremony at DCU Center in June 2025. The photo showed students in graduation gowns cheering during the milestone event, according to the district.

Prudhomme was also recognized for “WooStars: Year 3,” the district’s social media series honoring students and staff. For the 2025-26 school year, the district revamped the series to include in-person school visits and photos with Allen, who gave recipients books and other gifts.

Students and staff featured in the WooStars series were nominated by members of their school communities, according to WPS.

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