During nearly three years with Norman Public Schools, I served on the district's communications team, managing social media and producing photo, video, and digital content for one of Oklahoma's largest school districts. NPS is the eighth-largest district in Oklahoma, serving over 16,000 students across 17 elementary schools and 4 middle schools. I managed the district's presence across Facebook, Instagram, and X, developing content that reached parents, students, teachers, staff, and the broader Norman community, while balancing this role as a full-time student at the University of Oklahoma.

Beyond day-to-day content, I introduced several initiatives that meaningfully grew the district's engagement. I launched a senior features that spotlighted graduating seniors, creating a deeper emotional connection between the district and the Norman community. I also developed and led a takeover series, starting with a first-day-of-school superintendent takeover that hit over ten schools in a single day, capturing authentic interactions with students, teachers, and staff in real time. From there, I expanded the takeover concept to student groups, giving organizations like choir, student council, and theater the chance to take over the district's platforms and speak directly to the community in their own voice. The student takeovers proved especially effective at engaging a younger audience the district had historically struggled to reach. Managing this was a significant undertaking: I drafted contracts, scheduled planning meetings, and vetted student participants to ensure each takeover was the right fit for the district's platforms and brand.

Each year, I also played a central role in the district's Celebration of Excellence, NPS's annual Teacher of the Year ceremony. In the weeks leading up to the event, I met individually with each finalist for a sit-down interview, produced their feature stories, and led the publicity effort across the district's channels. On the night of the ceremony, I served as the official photographer, producing imagery that lived on across social media and district communications long after the event.

One of the most defining experiences of my time at NPS was contributing to the $353.9 million bond campaign in 2023. In addition to my communications role, I served as the district's drone specialist, a capability that proved critical to the bond effort. Aerial footage gave the campaign a compelling visual language to show the scale of existing facilities and make the case for what new investments could look like across the district. Norman is a politically dynamic city, shaped in large part by the presence of the University of Oklahoma, and passing a bond with a supermajority requirement in that environment was no small task. Working alongside Koch Communications, the district launched #VoteOnValentines, a community awareness initiative tied to the February 14 election date. My role on the communications team meant helping shape and distribute the public-facing messaging that connected Norman residents to the district's vision amid a complex political landscape. Voters approved the bond with 68.71% support and over 13,100 people turning out, a result that reflected the power of thoughtful, community-centered storytelling.

Learn more about the bond here.