The NSPRA National Seminar is just around the corner, and the California contingent is getting ready to show up in style! To make sure you have an incredible experience in New Orleans, we’ve rounded up the key events, deadlines, and traditions you need to know.

Lock these into your schedule so we can represent CalSPRA loud and proud:

🏅 Honor Our Achievements: Annual Meeting & Celebration

Kick off your NSPRA experience Sunday, July 19 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.by celebrating the incredible hard work of our members and chapter at the Annual Meeting and Celebration of Achievement. We have so much to be proud of this year—including CalSPRA being honored as a 2026 Mark of Distinction Exemplary Chapter with a spectacular four wins!

Come cheer on your colleagues as we celebrate the 2025-2026 member recognitions, including our fresh Emerging Leaders, our newly minted APRs at the Accreditation in Public Relations Pinning Ceremony, and participants in the APR Cohort, NSPRA Academy, and Leadership in School Communications programs. We will also be shining a spotlight on our Learning and Liberty Legacy Leaders, Golden Achievement winners, Publications and Digital Media Excellence Award recipients, and our chapter scholarship winners. Let's fill the room with California pride!

🏆 Celebrate California Excellence: 10 a.m. Monday General Session

Let’s fill the room and bring the loud California cheers! Each year, we try to secure a few tables for CalSPRAns and communicate the location on our What’sApp group. We are coming together to celebrate our very own Fermin Leal, who will be honored nationally as California's School Communicator of the Year. Let's show the entire NSPRA community the strength and pride of our CalSPRA family!

🍽️ CalSPRA Gathering at NSPRA

Don't miss out on the CalSPRA Welcome Lunch on Monday, July 20, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.! Our President, Sundeep, has planned an amazing CalSPRA @ NSPRA meetup at Mulate's | The Original Cajun Restaurant—just a short, easy walk from the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel.

Best of all, it is completely free for CalSPRA members! Whether you can only pop in for a quick bite or want to stay the entire time, it’s the perfect opportunity to connect, catch up, and kick off the conference together. Register today. 

🎤 The Legendary NSPRA Karaoke Night

If you haven’t experienced it yet, NSPRA karaoke is kind of a big deal. It’s a massive, friendly competition on Monday night where states go head-to-head for ultimate bragging rights (and actual medals). Tickets are limited and sell out fast, so secure yours early to ensure we have a massive CalSPRA cheering section! Click here to register for Karaoke Night (Note: one registration form per attendee).

Want to join the performance? CalSPRA karaoke veteran and resident songbird Devina Ortega is rallying the troops to pick our official state song. If you want to perform, help lead the group, or pitch a brilliant song choice, contact Devina ASAP!

🥳 Cheer on One of Our Own: NSPRA Awards Dinner

Keep the celebration going by joining us at the NSPRA Awards Celebration and Dinner on Tuesday night from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.! We will be gathering to honor CalSPRA's very own member and former president, Trent Allen, APR, as he receives the prestigious 2026 NSPRA Presidents Award. It's going to be an unforgettable evening of well-deserved recognition, so be sure to secure your ticket (additional fee required) and help us cheer on one of our absolute best!

👕 Pack Your CalSPRA Gear

We have a proud tradition of wearing our CalSPRA gear on the first official day of the seminar (Monday, July 20th). Wearing our gear is a fantastic way to showcase our strong California presence, and it makes it incredibly easy to spot and connect with fellow members in the crowd early on. Need to refresh your wardrobe? Head over to the CalSPRA Store right away to place your order and ensure it arrives in time for packing.

📱 Stay Connected: Join the CalSPRA WhatsApp Group

Want to know where everyone is grabbing dinner, coordinates for the next meetup, or where the California crew is sitting? Don't get left out of the loop! We’ve set up a dedicated CalSPRA@NSPRA WhatsApp Group for real-time updates and coordination throughout the seminar. Download the WhatsApp app and click here to join the group now so you're plugged in before you even touch down in New Orleans!

Check out the full list of CalSPRA presentations here and map out your seminar itinerary!

See you in New Orleans! Let's make this seminar unforgettable. (Goals 1, 2, 5)