“There’s Something for Everyone!” How Tracy Jentz Gained Confidence Through the Social Media Bootcamp

Tracy Jentz, APR, M.A., works as the Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator for Grand Forks Public Schools in North Dakota. She has been in her role for about eight years and has always made social media a focus of her communication and celebration efforts on behalf of the school.

But keeping up with social media best practices and changes was exhausting. Grand Forks educates over 7,400 students and has 1,600 staff members across 18 buildings.

Tracy really wanted to make thoughtful, well-researched decisions on behalf of the school. She sought professional development and ongoing support from experts and peers so she could do her job to the best of her ability.

That’s when she decided to join the #SocialSchool4EDU membership program. Tracy took the leap in late 2019 and has been impressed with the variety of resources available to members. From the private Facebook group to live (and recorded) trainings, office hours, and webinars, Tracy dove in and tried to take everything in.

Then, in the summer of 2020, Tracy made one more PD commitment. She enrolled in the 5-week Social Media Bootcamp with #SocialSchool4EDU. She wanted to use the program to enhance her school’s impact with Facebook and Twitter.

The set-up of the program was especially appealing! Tracy liked having the chance to learn something new, try it out on her own, and then share her results with other bootcampers. Each lesson was immediately actionable and she saw immediate value from the program. Tracy took full advantage of the post ideas, scheduling tools, templates, and overall support from her peers in the program.

After graduating from Bootcamp, Tracy continued her membership with #SocialSchool4EDU. It’s great to have a “gut check” when making a tough decision, she said, by posting in the private group to bounce ideas and ask for second opinions. She leverages her membership to share best practices with her Grand Forks colleagues, too.

“There’s something for everyone,” Tracy said. “Take in just what you choose. Everything is there when you’re ready.”

Learn more about Tracy’s work in Grand Forks by listening to this podcast interview: Episode 3 – Community Partnerships & Crisis with Tracy Jentz, APR.

Please note: The Social Media Bootcamp referenced in this blog is now being incorporated into our Membership Program. Learn more here.