Martinsville City Public Schools (MCPS) recently received national acclaim for its storytelling. The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) honored MCPS with an Award of Excellence in Writing for the article “Martinsville High School Among Top Schools in Area for College and Career Readiness.”
The piece, authored by MCPS Communications & Community Outreach Coordinator Callie Hietala in collaboration with Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Dr. Angilee Downing and Coordinator of Humanities and Advanced Programs Cary Wright, appeared on the district’s website and social media platforms earlier this school year.
The award-winning article was crafted in response to U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of U.S. high schools and subsequent local media coverage. It provides a comprehensive explanation of how the data used in these rankings favors schools with high Advanced Placement (AP) test participation, potentially overlooking other indicators of student success.
“We recognized that the U.S. News and World Report rankings didn’t fully capture the achievements of our staff, teachers, and students,” Hietala said. “This motivated us to dig deeper into the data and share a more accurate picture of our successes with our community.”
The article highlights the school division’s partnership with Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC), which allows students in AP courses to concurrently enroll at the college Students in the district’s Accelerated College Education (ACE) and Governor’s School programs are dual-enrolled, earning college credit without the need to take AP tests.
In their review of data for the Class of 2023 (the most recent year for which data is currently available on the Virginia Department of Education’s School Quality Profiles), the team found that 28.5% of Martinsville High School students took AP courses, 64% of students enrolled in higher education institutions after graduation, and 26% of students earned industry certifications.
“We are very proud of the research produced by Dr. Downing, Mr. Wright, and Mrs. Hietala,” said Superintendent Dr. Zebedee Talley. “Our students are receiving quality education and will be able to compete within a variety of educational industries and fields for important occupations. We continue to strive for academic excellence!”
“Receiving recognition from NSPRA, a national organization of school communications professionals, is an incredible honor,” Hietala added. “This award reinforces the value of clear, concise, data-driven storytelling in showcasing MCPS’s achievements. We’re excited to continue sharing our district’s success stories with our community.”
The NSPRA Awards of Excellence celebrate outstanding education communications and public relations initiatives across North America. This recognition underscores MCPS’s commitment to transparent, effective communication with its community.
