Eskolta - How They Thrive - Report Design & Campaign
CLIENT: Eskolta School Research and Design
MY ROLE: Communications Strategy | Design | Data Visualization | Media Outreach
TOOLS: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop
MY ROLE: Communications Strategy | Design | Data Visualization | Media Outreach
TOOLS: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop
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OVERVIEW
In 2022, Eskolta published How They Thrive, a mixed methods study using quantitative student outcome data and alumni interviews to capture the unique and often overlooked ways NYC alternative high schools support underserved students. The report had three primary audiences: 1) policymakers with the power to influence school budgets and governance, 2) alternative school administrators and educators who could benefit from the best practices highlighted in the report, and 3) the general public.
With these audiences in mind, I created a visual language striking a balance between the report's narrative storytelling and its more serious data analysis: spacious layouts are interspersed with clean data visualizations and hand-drawn illustrations created by one of the authors (also a transfer school alumna). I used vivid watercolors to convey a sense of warmth and optimism, countering the gloomy, deficit-based narratives the public often holds about these schools.
For the release, I collaborated with the research team to develop a four-part video series, educator resources, social media assets, and a campaign plan including targeted press outreach. The report earned coverage by The Hechinger Report and CBS-New York.
