Challenge: LearningSpring School is a NYC

independent school for children who have been

diagnosed on the autism spectrum, more specifically

with Asperger Syndrome. The Board of Trustees

initiated an award to be given at their annual

fundraising benefit, honoring those who had made a

significant contribution in their advocacy to this cause.

Solution: Being “on the spectrum” has become the

terminology commonly used to identify people with

this diagnosis. Well, I just took the icon of the color

wheel - a spectrum of another sort - and we named

the award The Spectrum Award in an attempt to flip

the negative impact often associated with “being on

the spectrum” into a colorful new spin.   

Challenge: To solicit end-of-year donations for this

charter school for inner city kids who make a

commitment to their education and plan on earning

a high school degree, at the same time that most not-

for-profits are doing the same thing .

Solution: This appeal coincided with the 2008

presidential election. By showing the diversity of

students right up front at the time when America had

just voted Barack Obama president - well, now this

dream could be their dream.

Challenge: The school decided to hold its first-ever

alumni reunion! How could I get the message to

alums so that they would know what they could

expect and bring them back into the high school

state-of-mind one more time?

Solution: I decided to use the dictionary definition to

convey the message.

LearningSpring School

New York, NY

Textron Chamber of Commerce Academy

Providence, RI

Challenge: To create a communication that

demonstrates the credible nature of the educational

program that TCCA offers, and the ultimate goal of a

high school degree for its students.

Solution: Show and tell - copy line quickly conveys

the message that this is a public (no-tuition) school,

and uses a graduation photo to back up the claim.

Challenge: In addition to a rigorous academic

program TCCA offers three unique programs as it

prepares its students for a productive life after high

school. We wanted these booklets to be able to either

stand together or stand alone.

Solution: Using the school color identifies them as a

unit, yet putting a basic circle, square, or triangle on

the front lets the reader know that each brochure

tells a different story.

International Charter School

Pawtucket, RI

Challenge: The International Charter School is

unique for its 50/50 bilingual, full-immersion, dual-

language instructional model, in which students learn

in English and Spanish, or in English and Portuguese.

In an effort to begin to build a “culture of giving,” the

administration wanted to educate the parents about

some ways funds had been acquired that year, and by

example, stimulate thoughts for ways families might

consider donations and/or contributions.

Solution: The communication called for a

straightforward presentation of information on the

variety of options available, supplemented by

wonderful heartwarming photos of ICS students.

(Each printed piece is produced in all three languages

- always a bit challenging, as the Spanish is

considerably lengthier than the English - so this has

to be factored into the initial design scheme.)

Challenge: To create an invitation, yes, another

invitation to a fundraiser!

Solution: I actually saw these daffodils poking up

their heads in the school’s garden just after one of the

many snowstorms of 2011. I was inspired by the

juxtaposition of the snow and the flowers, and I loved

the promising message the flowers sent. So I used my

cell phone to snap the photo, downloaded it to my

computer, and with Photoshop added the logo of the

school’s annual fundraising initiative, PrimaVera, held

each year on the first day of Spring.

Challenge: To create a vehicle to promote the

school, educate people about the school, and

fundraise on behalf of the school.

Solution: The Children’s Garden seemed like the

perfect showcase as, in addition to generating a crop

of more than 21 vegetables, fruits, and herbs during

the summer previous year, activities in the garden are

fully integrated into the math, science, and health

and wellness curricula, and showcase the multi-lingual

culture of the school.

Parents were asked to contribute family recipes that

included at least one of something grown in the

garden. All recipes were printed in a color-coded

format (English in blue, Spanish in orange, and

Portuguese in green). Illustrations made by students

and sparkling photographs were included to highlight

the unique qualities of this wonderful school.

The Lowell School

Flushing, NY

Challenge: Although an independent school in NYC,

most student tuitions are paid for by Board of Ed

funds. Parents are not accustomed to being solicited

for donations, frequently thinking that all operating

funds are covered by the reimbursement rate. Many

parents expressed confusion about the variety of

requests they were receiving.

Solution: “Mr. Confused Guy” expresses the concern

of parents. Inside, the explanations match the colors

of the separate thought bubbles on the cover as the

text explains each aspect of fundraising needs.

The Summit School

Jamaica Estates, NY

Challenge: This independent NYC school added a

5,000-square-foot addition to the Upper School during

the summer of 2009, and wanted to distribute a

souvenir at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Solution: What better way than to just say it! And

500 magnets for $100 - sweet.

Challenge: Devise a way for families, unable to

commit to a multi-year, larger capital-campaign gift,

to participate by making one-time gifts at the level at

which they are most able.

Solution: Remembering the old adage “When times

get tough, the tough go shopping,” an actual

shopping list was created to include many of the items

that were needed to outfit the classrooms in the new

addition. By offering a variety of price levels, people

were able to “opt in” rather than “opt out” of the

fundraising campaign efforts.

Challenge: The Summit School needed a generic

invitation for a series of gatherings to educate the

parents about the newly-launched capital campaign.

Solution: This copy line reminds parents that the

success of the Summit program is the result of the

partnership between school administrators, faculty,

students, and their families. This invitation reminded

parents that they are an essential piece, and that this

is a time when their help is needed.

Bryant University

Smithfield, RI

Challenge: To create a stand-alone promotional piece

for the Information Services (technology) Department

that would mesh with other university publications.

Solution: Respecting the black-and-gold combo 

established by Bryant’s in-house publications

department, this packet is made up of eight step-

cards neatly layered, four on the right, four on the

left, each with “hip” photography on the face and a

detailed description of each feature on the back.  

The Churchill School and Center

New York, NY

Challenge: To design a communication on behalf of

this independent school for children of normal to high

intelligence who struggle with learning disabilities, as

an announcement to both parents and potential

donors at the launch of Churchill’s $21-million-dollar

capital campaign to include the renovation and move

to a significantly larger building, allowing enrollment

to double and the addition of a high school. 

Solution:  Previously, the school was located in two

back-to-back brownstones, without a gym, a library,

computer labs… you get the point. The cover features

a transparent overlay that shows the dramatic

increase in size. Listing the actual rooms on each

floor, and then making note of the direct impact on

the program, helped viewers to realize the spectacular

difference this new facility would have on the valuable

educational program offered at Churchill. And it did!