PHOTO #1: City of Victoria Communications & Public Affairs team members, from left, Director Ashley Strevel and Videographer George Partida pose for a photo with awards the department won at the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors conference Nov. 3 in McAllen.
A City of Victoria video project documenting a young cancer patient’s visit to Victoria won the top award at the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors conference Nov. 3-4 in McAllen.
The City of Victoria Communications & Public Affairs earned the Kurt Ugland Programming Impact Award for its coverage of the swearing-in ceremony for Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel. This prestigious award is presented each year by TATOA for a local government video project with a strong community impact.
The City also earned honors in the Event Program/Promotion, Documentary and Partnership Production categories. TATOA received more than 300 contest submissions from across the state this year.
“Passion can’t be taught, and when a team has that, it’s a gift to our organization as well as our community,” Communications & Public Affairs Director Ashley Strevel said. “I’m lucky to have a talented, passionate team who works hard to keep our community informed. There’s so much important work being done, and showcasing it in creative and impactful ways is important to us. These awards affirm that, and we couldn’t be more proud.”
About the DJ Daniel video project
PHOTO #2: The City of Victoria Communications & Public Affairs won the Kurt Ugland Programming Impact Award for its coverage of the swearing-in ceremony for DJ Daniel, a 10-year-old boy fighting cancer.
The award-winning video project followed DJ Daniel, 10, as he visited Victoria on Feb. 18 as part of his journey around the state to be sworn in by as many law enforcement agencies as possible.
DJ was sworn in as an honorary member of the Victoria Police Department; the City of Victoria Fire Marshal’s Office; the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office; the Victoria County District Attorney’s Office; Victoria County Constable’s Offices for precincts 1, 2, 3 and 4; and the Victoria College Police Department during a ceremony at the Victoria County Courthouse.
The video project was led by Digital Media Specialist A.J. Gonzalez with input from Strevel and social media support from Public Safety Community Affairs Manager Lauren Meaux.
Other awards
PHOTO #3: The City of Victoria Communications & Public Affairs won the Kurt Ugland Programming Impact Award as well as third place in the Event Program/Promotion and Documentary categories at the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors conference Nov. 3 in McAllen.
Also at the conference, Communications earned third place in the Documentary category for “Talkin’ Trash,” a documentary about the lives of Victoria’s Solid Waste workers. The project was led by Videographer George Partida with contributions from Strevel, Multimedia Specialist Shane Blucher and Communications Specialist Sam Hankins.
The department also earned third place in the Event Program/Promotion category for its video coverage of Riverside Stadium’s 75th anniversary celebration. The project was led by Gonzalez with input from Strevel.
The department earned an honorable mention in the Partnership Production category for the “Explore Your Victoria” TV series. “Explore Your Victoria” first launched as a collaborative effort initiated by Communications & Public Affairs to highlight local attractions and activities that residents can explore.
Stay connected
To see other video content produced by Communications, visit Victoria Texas Videos on YouTube. To learn more about the department and to stay informed about the City of Victoria, visit www.victoriatx.gov/communications.