NSPRA Communications Awards 2016

The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) recently announced their 2016 award winners and Woodward Academy earned honors in all three categories in which we submitted. The Golden Achievement Award was given to our comprehensive communications program. Our submission was judged based on the four steps of a public relations program: 1) analysis of the need; 2) planning to meet the need; 3) execution and communication of the program; and 4) formal evaluation. Woodward Academy was one of only 90 schools / districts across the United States to receive this recognition, and one of only two in the State of Iowa. Click here to see the entire list of winners.

Publication and Electronic Media awards were also handed out that recognize individual projects in 23 different categories. This year, we submitted in two categories and earned an Award of Merit of our 2015 film We Own the Knight: A High School Basketball Documentary Film and an Award of Honorable Mention in the Special Purpose Publication category for our Why Woodward Academy? Let Us Tell You 2015 Guide.

We feel proud and honored to have been given the opportunity to tell amazing Woodward Academy stories over the past year, and that those efforts have been recognized at the state and national level. These awards mark the end of this year's campaign, and the beginning of next year's push for great content. Below is a recap of our 2016 awards season:

Iowa School Public Relations Association (ISPRA)
     Print Newsletter - Knightly Knews – Blue & Gold Award
     Photography - State Basketball – Blue & Gold Award
     Video - I Am Building video series - Blue & Gold Award
     Social Media – Facebook Page - Award of Achievement

National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA)

     Comprehensive Plan - Golden Achievement Award

     Video – We Own the Knight Documentary – Award of Merit

     Special Purpose Publication – 2015 Guide – Award of Honorable Mention

7th Annual Knights Scholarship Golf Outing

In it’s seventh consecutive year, the Knight’s Scholarship Golf Out benefiting the Woodward Academy Lifetime Commitment Fund took place at Beaver Creek Golf Course in Grimes, Iowa on June 24. This year, 79 golfers attended the four-person best-ball tournament that raised $2,500 money for Woodward Academy alumni as they move onto the next stage of their life. In the seven years that this tournament has taken place, over $39,000 has been raised, all of which has gone toward helping WA students. Whether it is college tuition, books, apartment
furnishings, or helping a past student with travel expenses to compete at the USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships, the tournament has made a significant impact on students lives and will continue to do so for years to come. A special thank you to the 27 generous sponsors who helped make this year's event a success.

Become a Woodward Academy Knight // Video

What does it mean to be a Woodward Academy Knight? For many students, they would tell you that they have changed. That they are more mature and polite. They listen to feedback and are open to ideas. They are respectful, kind, caring, have empathy, and they have reflected on their past. They know what they did, and they now understand the ramifications of those actions.

As staff members, we initiate this difficult change and delight in watching it take hold in students. But that change happens on our campus, in isolation to the rest of the world. Few people see it happen, and even less think that it can. Eventually, many of our students must confront the fact that some people still think that they are criminals… that they are lazy and lack self-discipline, that they cannot amount to anything. So perhaps the greatest characteristic of a Knight is having grit and the desire to overcome those obstacles, because "those people are wrong."

Over the course of their stay at Woodward Academy, these students have come to that conclusion honestly. Their change is authentic, and now they see their future as bright as ever. Months ago, these students were on a collision course toward incarceration, or an even worse fate. Now they can say "I am a Woodward Academy Knight. I will never accept negative behavior. I will never quit."

What is the ripple effect of this change? The goal is to help every student who attends Woodward Academy with their immediate micro-behavioral needs. We want them to be kind and respectful, and be able to listen. They must suppress some of their immediate behavioral urges, and get rid of others all together. For many students, this can happen very quickly (within weeks), and it starts them on the path toward the real benefit of being a Knight. On a macro level, this change takes hold to course correct their life. It serves a long term purpose so that they will be able to share their wisdom with their brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends. Being a Knight means that our students have an opportunity to be a quality student, a great son, and eventually a good employee, spouse, mentor, and father. That is what happens when you Become a Woodward Academy Knight, and that is how you change tomorrow.

Baseball Poster 2016 // Video

Now that the baseball season is in full swing, here is the official poster of the 2016 Woodward Academy Knights team. This year's squad has been performing well this season and there is still time to catch a game at Knights Field. The poster is a composite image of each individual player and a sweet aerial shot of the home field. Be sure to pick up yours today on campus to add to your collection.

If you would like to see additional pictures of the baseball team in action, you can visit our Knight Pics website and after the break, we have embedded a highlight video from one of the team's home games.

Open House 2016 // Video

Woodward Academy’s annual Open House was an event filled day that took place on June 2nd. In many ways, the day serves two purposes: it is a fun day full of activities for students and staff, and a great way to showcase the school and campus to anyone interested in the school and new to the Woodward Academy way.

Guests who attended the day were treated with expanded events for this year’s event. For years, the day kicked off with a 5K “fun run” that is more grueling than enjoyable. Part of the course has participants running through a chilly creek, and then finishing by going up what campus calls the “Iron Man,” a 70 degree muddy hill that is only more difficult with wet shoes. This year’s staff and student winners were teach Tyler McCubbin and newly crowned school record holder in the 400m, Ashton Putzier.

In an attempt to get more people involved, all of the events were given point values to determine which dorm performed the best. As a traditionally colorful day, full of themed customes, points were also awarded in this category. Once the 5K concluded, dorms assembled their teams for the tug-o-war contest, as well as the outdoor basketball and bags tournament. After lunch, the monthly assembly concluded the day by announcing the Student and Staff of the month, and the monthly awards of Silver Apple, Golden Dustpan, and Knight’s Achievement Award. Once tallied, Delta company became the dorm winner of the day.

Why should you attend next year? The Woodward Academy culture is on full display. Many guests who took campus tours with students were blown away by their ability to explain the school, programming, and how it has changed their life. It is also pretty fun to watch and get a sense for how all the students and staff interact on a daily basis. If you’re interested in seeing more pictures from Open House, visit our Knight Pics website.

State Track & Field Meet 2016 // Video

The 2016 track & field season came to a close May 19-21 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines at the Iowa High School State Track & Field Meet. It was an end cap to a remarkable season where the Knights won 4 team titles, numerous individual events, and broke 2 school records.

Head Coach Shaun Mohon pushed the phrase "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" all season. He reflected that this year's team, from a pure talent standpoint, was not where previous WA teams had been. "We did not have the top end speed that we have had in the past. The reason this team was so successful was due to hard work, practicing well, and the work of all the coaches."

Read more about how the season progressed and the state meet after the break.

The Graduating Class of 2016

On May 18, we honored the graduating class of 2016 with a commencement ceremony in the Woodward Academy gymnasium. This year, 33 students completed coursework to earn their high school diploma, and 13 students fulfilled the testing requirements to obtain their Hi-SET high school equivalent. This was the largest graduating class to date at Woodward Academy, and is a celebration of the commitment that these students made.

Group Living Director, Trent Fleshner, summarized their journey best when he said this day was not "always guaranteed for some of you guys… and I think it means all that much more, and it's that much sweeter that this day is here." Quincee Altman and Matt Sosa provided the student speeches from the senior class and choose to spend most of their time reflected on how Woodward Academy changed their mindset about education. Quincee self-disclosed that he was the student who would sleep in class and not do his homework. Today, he spoke as this year's Governor's Scholar recipient. While introducing Matt, Fleshner recalled a story that in his referral packet, a judge said that he was "the worst juvenile delinquent" that his county has ever seen. Fleshner countered that statement by describing how Matt has succeeded at Woodward Academy by being a leader on campus and "has been nothing but a great kid for Woodward Academy." The keynote was Dr. Anthony Jones of the Ames Community School District. He was inspired by the stories that originated from Woodward Academy and offered tips for the leaders of tomorrow.

The entire ceremony was a celebration. If you have time, check out the video recap of the event above. There are some really great moments, both large and small, that portray the camaraderie and commitment that both Woodward Academy students and staff put into this day. Whether it's Principal Jeremy Hilbert adjusting a graduating senior's tie, the inspiring senior speeches, or Lead Teacher William Terry encouraging the crowd to cheer loudly as they walked across the stage, it is safe so say that this commencement ceremony was unlike any before it.