March 12, 2025

Dear Hollister High School parents, students, staff and community:

San Benito High School District won five awards in the California School Public Relations Association’s (CalSPRA) Excellence in Communication contest, which were presented to District Communications Officer Adam Breen at the organization’s annual conference in San Diego last week. CalSPRA has a membership of more than 850  communications professionals representing the field of education throughout the state.

The recognition included three Awards of Excellence -- two for video projects created in partnership with Hollister High School alumnus Conner Stevens and one for a document highlighting statistics about the District. Two Awards of Merit were presented as well, one of which was for a summary of the District’s community outreach regarding a second high school and one was for an employee recruitment video highlighting the value of working for Hollister High School.

Over the past three years, Hollister High School and San Benito District have won 11 awards from CalSPRA in addition to three awards from NSPRA, the National School Public Relations Association.

“I am proud that our school and District’s communications efforts continue to be recognized by our peers on a statewide and national level, as it is affirmation of our commitment to celebrating the people and programs that make Hollister High School such a great place to learn,” Adam said. “Since the creation of my communications officer position seven years ago, the Board of Trustees and Superintendent Tennenbaum have prioritized consistent, clear and timely communications, ensuring that our students, staff, families and community feel informed and supported.”

Adam coordinates daily communications on behalf of the school and district, utilizing social media platforms, two general information newsletters per week along with this weekly superintendent’s newsletter, and updates the school and District websites. He also coordinates local media coverage. In addition to teaching a yearbook class for the past 20 years, Adam for three years has supervised seven students who are part of the Communications Special Projects class. These students help with a wide variety of functions, including: media relations, marketing, social media, community relations, and strategic messaging. 

“Communication is a team effort, which is exemplified in our District,” Adam said. “I am fortunate to have the support of the Board and superintendent, as well as having the opportunity to help students to add their voice to information shared with the community.”

Adam also works with Emily Popek of Nichols Strategies, a public relations firm that advises our strategic communications efforts and partners with him on a number of our projects. Ms. Popek and Adam collaborated on the “Building a Brighter Future” summary of the District's community engagement efforts, which included K-8 listening sessions and community town halls. That project earned an Award of Merit from CalSpra. The Hollister High School Fast Facts document on which Adam and Emily collaborated was recognized with an Award of Excellence.

Hollister High School alumnus Conner Stevens of Conner Stevens Films has partnered with the District for the last three years, collaborating with Adam to develop and produce videos that highlight the people and programs of the District. The following videos were recognized by CalSPRA with Awards of Excellence: “Every Day is a Great Day to Be a Baler,” in which students share what makes Hollister High School such a special place to learn, grow and succeed.

Hollister High School Class of 2023 Graduation Highlights

The video “Hollister High School: Where Teaching Thrives in a Vibrant Community,” showcases why HHS is a great place to work in a great area in which to live. This project earned a CalSPRA Award of Merit.

Transparency and effective communication are hallmarks of our District, so this CalSPRA award recognition serves as a testament to our ongoing commitment to keeping our community informed and engaged. Adam’s dedication and talent continue to elevate our District’s messaging, and we are incredibly proud of his well-deserved recognition.

Sincerely,

San Benito High School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennebaum

Striving, Thriving, Shining Bright