The Back-To-School initiative honors educators, counselors, coaches and staff quietly holding school communities together nationwide
Award Graphic
FAIRFAX, Va., Sept. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Custom Ink, the online leader in custom apparel and promo products, named 10 national winners of its inaugural Unsung Heroes of School Spirit Award. Created to celebrate the parents, educators, counselors, coaches, and staff who quietly go above and beyond for their students, the program is delivering $5,000 cash grants, custom apparel credits, and VIP recognition packages to benefit 11 school communities across the country.
Selected from hundreds of nationwide nominations, the 10 honorees represent leaders whose dedication transforms their school culture:
- Nick Drabik (Waterbury, CT): Band director who built his school’s first-ever marching band from 20 to nearly 100 students in five years, leading them to third place statewide and fifth nationally.
- Julie Longmuir (New York, NY): School business manager who streamlined operations for a 200-person staff, boosted school spirit through campus traditions, and directed a beloved annual Haunted House event for ten years.
- Raymond Mendez (Kingsville, TX): Band director who overcame severe facility limits to build a 100-plus student music program in cafeterias and parking lots, guiding ensembles to Texas state honors.
- Yanadira Mendez-Magana (Houston, TX): College advisor who built an all-girls public school’s college-readiness program from scratch, guiding its historic first graduating class to 100% high school graduation and 100% four-year college acceptance.
- Ximena Moreno (Oakland, CA): School manager who returned to her alma mater to restore campus traditions, revitalize enrollment, and lead community engagement through the Parent Guardian Association.
- Jaclyn Schwieger (Chicago, IL): First-year head volleyball coach who transformed program culture, established instant unity through inclusive team gear, and led a dramatic turnaround to win a conference championship.
- Brigette Warner (Boise, ID): Title I school principal who transformed her campus through community initiatives, launching weekly “Family Recess” nights, annual pancake breakfasts, and local family support partnerships.
- Kristen Weintraut (Lafayette, IN): German teacher who revitalized her school’s language program, expanded study-abroad participation from nine to over 60 students, and established a scalable fundraising model that keeps international travel affordable.
- Phalia West (Germantown, MD): High school counselor who developed a custom 12-week Executive Functioning program to equip struggling students with self-management tools while mentoring incoming counseling staff.
- Kellie Zephir (Baltimore, MD): Dual-school choir director who single-handedly revived a canceled music program, expanding enrollment from 15 students to a 100-plus voice choir across two high schools.
“Behind the scenes, educators, parents, and coaches make magic happen, every single day. As back-to-school season approached, we wanted to find a meaningful way to honor these champions through our inaugural ‘Unsung Heroes of School Spirit’ award,” said Philip Auerbach, Chief Marketing Officer at Custom Ink. “Customizable gear has always been more than just apparel—whether it’s a championship tee or field day shirts, physical merchandise unifies people and gives tangible form to shared milestones. Launching this program felt completely synonymous with Custom Ink’s mission: bringing groups together, celebrating the people fostering community, and giving back in a tangible way.”
Alongside the award announcements, Custom Ink released a video campaign featuring candid, direct-to-camera reflections from the winners opening up about what inspires their daily dedication to students. The campaign video and winner profiles can be viewed HERE.
For more information about the award program visit Custom Ink.
Custom Ink is the online leader in custom products and apparel for businesses, groups, and organizations. The company helps bring colleagues, communities, teammates, and friends together with inspired custom products they are proud to use and wear. Custom Ink makes getting custom gear smooth and seamless with innovative design tools, caring customer service, creative design inspiration, and a broad range of high-quality merchandise. For more information, visit www.customink.com.
Media Contact: [email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f1879764-ad46-4045-8671-e82a03ad31f0
