National Night Out Award
The Woodlands Township was awarded First Place in Category #2 (Populations 100,000 to 300,000) by the National Association of Town Watch for its outstanding 2025 National Night Out Campaign. This prestigious recognition highlights the Township’s commitment to public safety and community engagement.
The Township’s Neighborhood Services Department spearheaded the campaign, earning top honors for its innovative programming and the enthusiastic participation of Township residents and public safety agencies.
National Night Out is one of the Department’s largest outreach efforts annually, focused on enhancing relationships between residents in their neighborhoods and connecting the community to local law enforcement and public safety agencies. Through its National Night Out initiatives, Neighborhood Services supports residents in hosting neighborhood gatherings, while offering a wide array of activities to provide ongoing safety resources to the community.
The Woodlands Township extends its gratitude to the many dedicated partners who contributed to this year’s success, including:
- Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
- Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 4
- Montgomery County Constable’s Office – Precinct 3
- Conroe Independent School District Police Department
- The Woodlands Fire Department
- Montgomery County Hospital District
- Alpha & Omega Mounted Patrol
Multiple High Rankings from Niche.com
Once again, The Woodlands has earned national recognition as one of the best communities in the country. According to Niche.com, The Woodlands is one of the most desirable cities to live with an overall Niche grade of A+ as it offers residents affordable suburban housing, beautiful scenery, award-winning amenities, employment opportunities, outstanding schools and so much more.
The Woodlands secured impressive rankings in multiple national categories:
- #2 Best City to Raise a Family in America
- #3 Best City to Buy a House in America
- #3 Best City to Live in America
- #3 Best Cities to Retire in America
- #4 Cities with the Best Public Schools in America
Niche’s rankings are based on comprehensive data analysis, including statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of resident reviews. Factors such as community safety, education quality, family-friendliness, cost of living, job opportunities and local amenities all contribute to these rankings.
The Lookout
The Lookout at the George Mitchell Nature Preserve, a bird blind project, was recognized with two 2026 awards for its design excellence and community impact. Specifically, the project received a 2026 Design Build Award from The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and special recognition through the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Parks and Natural Areas Awards for projects under the $500,000 category. The honors highlight the project as an innovative collaboration that blends architecture, education and environmental design while creating a meaningful public space that connects people to nature.
Communication Awards
The Woodlands Township Communications Department earned statewide recognition, receiving four awards at the 2026 Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) TAMI Awards competition. The TAMI Awards, presented on June 4 in Austin, recognize outstanding municipal communications in Texas, honoring creativity, impact and public engagement across a variety of categories. The competition drew 711 entries from cities and counties across the state.
In the Photography Single Image category, Township Senior Communications Specialist Perry Frank won the Award of Excellence for his Labor Day Pie Eating Contest Photo, titled Red, White and Pie Face. This photo captures a memorable moment by focusing on the young, winning participant of the annual pie-eating contest with pie filling covering his face as the competitor beside him looks on in disbelief. The photograph has resonated with audiences because it captures a genuine moment of excitement and connection, highlighting the playful and family friendly atmosphere that defines many community gatherings in The Woodlands.
In the Special Publication category for populations 50,000 to 150,000, Township Graphic Designer Jaclyn Ballou won the Award of Excellence for her design of the Junior Park Ranger Field Guide. The Junior Park Ranger Field Guide is a 7x10 booklet with 24 pages of activities and facts/tips to help Junior Park Rangers (ages 4 to 12) explore and care for our parks. The guide ultimately turned the concept of a Junior Park Ranger Program into a fully realized initiative that encourages curiosity, outdoor exploration and long-term appreciation for the community’s natural spaces.
For Best Social Media Post for populations of 75,000 to 150,000, Township Video Producer Steven Romero won the Award of Honor for the Robot Dog Video, showing a robotic dog that surprised a Township meeting. When representatives from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office unexpectedly brought Boston Dynamics robotic dogs into a Township Board meeting, Communications staff recognized an opportunity to highlight innovative tools being used to protect the community. A moment captured spontaneously during a public meeting became highly engaging digital content that expanded the Township’s reach and highlighted the work of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
For Video Campaign in the population category of 100,000 to 200,000, Township Video Producer Steven Romero won the Award of Excellence for the Set It, Don’t Forget It Video Series. The campaign supported the Neighborhood Services Department’s Project 365 initiative by providing clear, visual examples of everyday situations related to burglary prevention, garage and vehicle security, bike safety and smoke alarm maintenance. The videos were designed to reach homeowners and residents concerned about neighborhood safety and to encourage proactive safety habits through engaging and memorable storytelling.