The annual Image Awards competition serves to recognize the best in public relations. FPRA Image Awards for the Pensacola Chapter were presented for programs (Division A), printed tools (Division B), online/audio/visual tools (Division C) and student projects (Division D) of public relations. Entries were judged on a written summary and work samples. A team of judges recommended one of three awards. Judges Awards are for PR actions or products that were successfully completed with limited funds. An Award of Distinction designates submissions that met a standard of excellence, and an Image Award is for submissions considered to have met a standard of excellence and is the best submission in its category.

In each division, judges may also present an award to the top Image Awards in a division. Those awards are a Grand Image Award in Divisions B, C and D or a Grand All Image Award for Division A.

The following were honored for public relations programs:

Steve Esser and Brandi Gomez of Gulf Power received the Grand All Image Award and an Image Award for Hurricane Michael Social Media Sentiment
Visit Pensacola received an Image Award for Pensacola Tourism Works
Visit Pensacola received an Image Award and Judges’ Award for the Tall Ships Event
UWF Institutional Communications received an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award for their University of West Florida 100K Degree Campaign
UWF Institutional Communications received a Judges’ Award for the University of West Florida Virginia College Closure
Escambia County School District Public Relations Team received an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award for the Ransom Kicks Back Shoe Drive

The following were honored for printed tools of public relations:

UWF Institutional Communications and UWF University Advancement received an Award of Distinction for the University of West Florida Foundation Annual Report.

The following were honored for online/audio/visual tools of public relations:

Sarah Whitfield, Santa Rosa County Public Information Office, received an Image Award and Judges’ Award for the Santa Rosa County District One Video Series
Visit Pensacola received an Award of Distinction and a Judges’ Award for The Pensacola Experience Consumer E-Newsletter
Billie Nicholson, Robert Nicholson and Betty Williams of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, received a Judges’ Award for Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, Pensacola Chapter Online Newsletter

The following were honored for student projects in public relations:

Kristin O’Bryan, UWF senior and intern with Escambia County School District Public Relations, received an Award of Distinction and Judges’ Award from FPRA Northwest Florida Chapter for the Ransom Middle School: Kicks for a Cause PR Campaign

FPRA’s Pensacola chapter offers professionals and students an opportunity to meet with other people in the public relations community, to participate in professional development t opportunities and to network with others in the PR field. Chapter activities are posted on the FPRA Pensacola Chapter Facebook page and visitors are always welcome. 

Volunteer Florida and UWF Students Honored at FPRA Image Awards

A check was presented to Volunteer Florida for the Florida Disaster Fund and three UWF students were each awarded $500 scholarships at the 2019 Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Pensacola Chapter’s Go For the Gold Image Awards luncheon held April 11 at the Pensacola Yacht Club.

In December 2018, FPRA Pensacola held a holiday social at Perfect Plain with the American Advertising Federation Pensacola, Pensacola Designers Group and Emerald Coast Film Group benefitting the Florida Disaster Fund. The groups were able to raise $1,035 through a silent auction and Perfect Plain’s generous donation of 10 percent of the profits from the social. “Volunteer Florida is thankful for this generous donation to the Florida Disaster Fund,” said Kerry Anne Schultz, Vice Chair of the Volunteer Florida Commission. “Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle last October, but the recovery process is just getting underway. Our partner organizations will be on the ground for months to come, helping rebuild homes, schools and businesses.”   

FPRA Pensacola awarded three $500 scholarships to deserving public relations students from the University of West Florida.

Leah Thornton, a junior at UWF, was awarded the Scott Harrington, APR, CPRC scholarship. She currently interns for the Santa Rosa County Public Information Office.
Kristin O’Bryan, a senior at UWF, was awarded the Eileen Perrigo, APR scholarship. Kristin currently interns for the Escambia County Public Relations Office.
Katlin Rouse, a junior at UWF and the student liaison to the FPRA Pensacola Chapter, was awarded the Horace W. “Pete” Olcott scholarship.

Each student was selected from a pool of applicants who completed an application process and a brief essay. To be eligible for a scholarship, students must be a junior or senior majoring in public relations, a student member of FPRA, have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, and be in good standing within the Communications Department at UWF.