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Sunshine Medallion Awards of Excellence

2026 Sunshine Medallion Awards of Excellence Winners

Publication & Digital Media

 

 

 

The three highest scores in each category receive awards: a gold plaque for the highest score, followed by silver and bronze plaques. 

 

Annual Report 

 

Handbook or Guide

  • GOLD:  Duval County Public Schools – School Enrollment Expo Event Map

 

Marketing Materials

  • GOLD: Orange County Public Schools – Let’s Read, OCPS! Challenge
  • SILVER: School District of Palm Beach County – Class of 2039 Kindergarten Postcard
  • BRONZE: Collier County Public Schools – School Marketing Flyer

 

Social Media

 

Special Purpose Publication

  • GOLD:  Florida Virtual School – Florida Virtual School District Insider
  • SILVER:  Sarasota County School District – SCS In Touch Community Newsletter
  • BRONZE:  Duval County Public Schools – Elementary School Guidebook

 

Video Series (3-way tie)

 

Video Singular 

 

 

Website

Radiant Award

 

The highest scoring entry for various strategic communication categories. This year, there were entries in two radiant award categories. 

 

 

Community Outreach and Public Engagement Initiatives

School District of Manatee County – Discover Excellence: School Choice Campaign

 

Marketing Campaigns

Okeechobee County School Board – Public Schools Week

Supernova Award

This is the highest-scoring entry from the radiant entries.

School District of Manatee County

 

 

2025 Award Winners

  • Annual Report

    • Gold – The School District of Lee County
    • Silver – Okaloosa County School District
    • Bronze – Pinellas County Public School

     

    Handbook/Guide

    • Gold – The School District of Lee County “Strategic Communications & Engagement Plan”
    • Silver – Seminole County Public Schools ”Principal Playbook – Incident Response Guide”
    • Bronze – Seminole County Public Schools “Resource & School Choice Guide”

     

    Marketing Materials

    • Gold – Duval County Public Schools “2024 Kindergarten Registration”
    • Silver – Collier County Public Schools “2024 CCPS Tax-Neutral Referendum Materials”
    • Bronze – Marion County Public Schools “What Went Right”

     

    Social Media

    • Gold – Martin County Public Schools “Senior Spotlight”
    • Silver – The School District of Manatee County “Good News Happens Here”

     

    Special Purpose Publications

    • Gold – Collier County Public Schools “Pathway to Excellence - CCPS Strategic Plan Year One”
    • Silver – Marion County Public Schools “2024-2025 School District Calendar”
    • Bronze – Collier County Public Schools “Blueprint for Success: Strategic Approach to Referendum Approval”

     

    Video Series

    • Gold (Tie) The School District of Palm Beach “Burke at Work”County  &  Duval County Public Schools “Reasons”
    • Silver – Martin County Public Schools “National Principals Month Celebration”
    • Bronze – Martin County Public Schools “Thank a Teacher”

     

    Singular Video

    • Gold (Tie) – Collier County Public Schools “Sawdust and Sneakers” & Martin County Public Schools “Environmental Studies Center – Grandparents Day”
    • Silver (Tie) – The School District of Palm Beach “Long Live the Class of 2024” County & Martin County Public Schools “First Day of School Hype Video”
    • Bronze – Martin County Public Schools “Job Fair Hype Video”

     

    Website

    • Gold – Duval County Public Schools
    • Silver – Sarasota County Schools
    • Bronze – The School District of Manatee County
  • Bond/Finance Campaign

    • Orange County Public Schools for their Half-Cent Sales Tax Continuation Campaign
    • Sarasota County Schools Referendum Millage Campaign
    • Pinellas County School District for their Referendum 2024 “Together for Tomorrow”
    • Collier County Public Schools for their Strategic Approach Leads to Record-High Referendum Approval

    Community Outreach and Public Engagement Initiatives

    • The School District of Lee County for their Lee Schools TV Student Film & Television Awards

     

    Crisis Communication and Response

    • Pinellas County School District for their Hurricane Communication & Response Plan 2024 “Ensuring the Safety and Well-being of the Community”

     

    Marketing Campaigns

    • Sarasota County Schools for their School Choice / Controlled Open Enrollment Campaign
    • Pinellas County School District for their Marketing Plan to Increase Enrollment
    • The School District of Palm Beach County for its “Proud Kids” campaign

     

    Parent Involvement Campaigns / Programs

    • Marion County Public Schools with their New Bell Times for 2024-2025 campaign
  • Orange County Public Schools for their Half-Cent Sales Tax Continuation campaign

     

    Marion County Public Schools for their New Bell Times for 2024-2025 campaign (Received a unanimous perfect score in their category.)

     

    Sarasota County Schools for their School Choice / Controlled Open Enrollment Campaign (Received a unanimous perfect score in their category.)