SUGAR LAND — A year-long, collaborative Hays CISD campaign that helped spread awareness of the dangers of fentanyl use has generated additional statewide praise for its effort in keeping students safe.

On Feb. 28, Hays CISD was named a Crystal Commendation Award winner in the marketing category at the 2024 Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) Star Awards ceremony in Sugar Land. This honor was awarded to Hays CISD’s Communication and Safety and Security teams for its efforts in producing “Fighting Fentanyl: An Accidental Campaign” during the 2022-23 school year.

The campaign began in fall 2022 after three Hays CISD students died as a result of fentanyl overdoses in a span of approximately four months. Over the course of the 2022-23 school year, Hays CISD’s Communication team worked hand-in-hand with the district’s Safety and Security department to create flyers, posters, letters to parents and videos that not only exposed the dangers of fentanyl use, but also how the use of the drug can forever impact students’ families, friends and loved ones.

Hays CISD’s Fighting Fentanyl campaign was a finalist in TSPRA’s prestigious Platinum Award category, which is the highest honor given to a school district communication team.

“These awards raise the profile of this important and life-saving campaign,” said Hays CISD Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy. “School districts across Texas — and the nation — can take note and use these materials to save the lives of young people.”

Additionally, Hays CISD’s Communication team also took home a trove of individual and team awards, which included a handful of Best in State honors. A total of two Best in State, 10 Gold awards, six Silver awards and two Certificates of Merit were awarded to Hays CISD’s Communication team for its work over the past year.

One of the Best in State honors went to Savoy for Writing in the 15,000-40,000 student division. Savoy won the honor for his “Real and Present Danger” letter, which was written for Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright at the height of the Hays CISD fentanyl crisis in fall 2022. The honor marked the third year in a row Savoy has earned Best in State in the Writing category.

Best in State honors were earned by Visual Media Coordinator Moses Leos III and Chief Safety & Security Officer Jeri Skrocki in the Video-Training and Instructional category of the 15,000-40,000 student division. The duo worked together to produce “Fentanyl Overdose Caught on Camera,” which showed a former Hays CISD student performing CPR on another teen who suffered a fentanyl overdose in the parking lot of a Hays CISD campus in September 2022. The video has received state and national attention since its release and has been used by law enforcement agencies — including the Federal Bureau of Investigations — in their fight against fentanyl use.

The Hays CISD Communication team consists of Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy, Communications Director Harvest Goodrich, Website Coordinator Linda Rosebrock, Visual Media Coordinator Moses Leos III, Visual Media Specialist David White, current Volunteer Coordinator Elizabeth Bracamontes, former Volunteer Coordinator Keyawna Glaze (who is now with Hutto ISD), Department Secretary Belen Hernandez and District Receptionist Teresa Salinas. Hays CISD’s Safety and Security team consists of Chief Safety & Security Officer Jeri Skrocki, Safety and Security Coordinator Diane Martinez and Safety and Security Coordinator Andrea Acosta.

Star Awards earned by the Hays CISD Communication team are listed below (Category – Entry name – Staff members).

Gold honors

• Poster – Elementary Fentanyl Awareness – Tim Savoy, Harvest Goodrich, Jeri Skrocki, Linda Rosebrock

• Poster – Urgent Information About Fentanyl – Tim Savoy, Harvest Goodrich, Jeri Skrocki, Linda Rosebrock

• Print materials in language other than English – Concientización sobre el fentanilo para la escuela primaria – Tim Savoy, Harvest Goodrich, Jeri Skrocki, Linda Rosebrock

• Writing – Real and Present Danger – Tim Savoy

• Sports Photography – Battle for the Ball – Moses Leos III

• Photo Academic/Classroom subjects – Teamwork! – Moses Leos III

• Photo Academic/Classroom subjects – The 100th day of school – Moses Leos III

• Photo Other subjects – Music to our Ears – Moses Leos III

• Video Training/Instructional – Fentanyl Overdose Caught on Camera – Jeri Skrocki and Moses Leos III

• Special Event – Ambassador Awards – Harvest Goodrich, Keyawna Glaze, Linda Rosebrock, Moses Leos III, David White, Tim Savoy & Jeri Skrocki

Crystal Award Finalist/Certificate of Merit

• Parent Involvement/Volunteer Program – VIPs/Volunteers in Public Schools – Keyawna Glaze

• Platinum Award – Fighting Fentanyl: An Accidental Campaign – Tim Savoy, Jeri Skrocki, Harvest Goodrich, Linda Rosebrock, Moses Leos III, David White & Keyawna Glaze

Silver honors

• Print materials in language other than English – Información Urgente – Tim Savoy, Harvest Goodrich, Jeri Skrocki, Linda Rosebrock

• Handbook/Manual – Hays CISD Board Operating Procedure Manual – Harvest Goodrich

• Video/General Event – The future is ours – Lehman High School Robing Ceremony – Moses Leos III

•Video Feature Story – The 50th line – Celebrating the history of the Hays Highsteppers – Moses Leos III

• E-Newsletter – 2022-2023 Back to School Newsletter & Tip Sheet – Tim Savoy, Harvest Goodrich, Linda Rosebrock

• Sports Photography – Having a Ball – Moses Leos III