Five award-winning reasons to check IEA website

The IEA Communications Department was excited to learn last week that it won five first place awards in the State Education Editors conference in Nashville.

State National Education Association affiliates from around the country compete in the awards that honor the methods, tools and quality of communications produced by each department.

IEA was entered in 14 of the 15 categories open to the largest affiliates in the country. Of those 14, IEA won first place in five categories and second place in one category.

The first place awards were for:

• Photography – For a photo Bob Ray took of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition story that was published in the January 2010 edition of the Advocate.
• Best Use of New Media – For the IEA’s use of the website and social networking sites twitter, facebook, flickr, Blip TV, You Tube, etc. to keep in touch with members.
• Best Targeted New Media Campaign – Awarded for the IEA’s use of video, social networking, interaction, podcasts, affiliation with the Chicago Bears, etc. to reach out to our members.
• Best Website – The IEA website is interactive, has provided live feeds for important events, links members to our social networking sites, features important information, etc.
• Most Improved – For changes implemented in September to the IEA website. The new website allows visitors to comment on articles, provides easy navigation and links members with all of our social networking sites.

The second place award was for Design-Marketing Materials for this year’s Save Our State, Save Our Schools SOS campaign. The entry included stickers, banners, brochures, visors and other items.

The IEA communications department – Charlie McBarron, director; Mark Ritterbusch, graphic designer; Sarah Antonacci, communications specialist; Bob Ray, media relations director; Linda Rice, secretary; Denise Ward, administrative assistant; and Webmaster Dan Billingsley of the computer services department – work together to be on the cutting edge of communications in an effort to keep members informed about not only important issues, but issues of interest.

Judges in the contest included 10 professionals in the writing, video, communications, editing, marketing and photography fields.