Deanna Robinson with Jewels Academy

SUMMARY

Deanna worked on two major projects with Jewels Academy (JA), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of underserved girls and their families in the Des Moines area by providing STEM enrichment activities. The first project involved developing a strategic communications plan to promote the JA fundraiser, Keeping The Brilliance in Jewels to include press release. The second project consisted of developing a social media strategy to increase engagement with Project Emerald, a new program offered to high school students to learn design thinking, business model development, and problem solving skills.

OVERVIEW

• Researched best practices in writing and sending press releases

• Researched funding priorities of potential sponsors and drafted letters requesting sponsorship

• Created content to promote event to include highlights of past programs, honoring sponsors, graduates, featured speakers, and countdown to event

• Created Facebook events and advertisements for fundraiser and app camps

• Created monthly and special edition newsletters

• Created digital flyers

• Created a mug design for future fundraising

• Developed a strategic social media plan based upon research and best practices for 12 months to consist of 2 posts per week

• Created scheduled social media content and developed a social media calendar

IMPACT

Since 2012, Jewels Academy has reached over 14,200 students in community events and served over 687 program attendees throughout the United States. In 2020, Jewels Academy awarded over $16,200 in college scholarships. Keeping The Brilliance in Jewels will impact an unknown number of candidates who may receive scholarships in 2021. Project Emerald will impact 25 to 50 students who enroll for the Project Emerald Summer Soft Pilot and Fall program. 

---