Senior Thesis - Departmental Honors in Graphic Design (May 2024)
This project involved the design and marketing of Wonder, a mobile creative station for children in underserved communities. This was accomplished through extensive research into the impact of creativity in the lives of children, the tie between creativity and privilege, organizations that currently exist in this market, and the impact of design in a non-profit, creative space. The outcome consists of comprehensive branding guidelines, advertising, package design, publication design, digital collateral (social media, website), and a revised user experience.
Humans are born with an innate desire to create, and for children one of the most tangible ways to explore creativity is through art. For kids, creativity has the potential to foster cognitive growth, aid development, and champion the power of one’s imagination. Yet, for many children in underserved communities, a space to freely create and dream is unimaginable. Many schools in underserved areas lack adequate funding for art education, supplies are too expensive for many families, and most extracurricular art programs are inaccessible because of both cost and location. Accessibility to creativity allows students to see themselves from a new perspective, all while encouraging innovation, and proving to a child that learning isn’t black and white. At Wonder, we believe that every child deserves a safe space to create, grow, and wonder, because the power of a child’s imagination is undeniable.
Credits: Artwork - Local Kids & Students, Lifestyle Imagery - Envato Elements
Ad Campaign: Where Every Child is…
Referencing Wonder’s slogan, “where every child is an artist,” this campaign shows that the boundaries of creativity extend far beyond art, allowing creativity to produce dreamers, explorers, and creators. Each campaign tells a child’s story, explaining how Wonder creates a space for students to explore their passions and interests.
Social Media & Pole Banners
To remain child-focused, Wonder’s social media captures the stories of children and their mentors in the program. Accompanied by general organization updates and new products, the information is relevant to each new family while also celebrating current artists in the program and their artwork. Pole Banners provide a practical and simple solution to ensure that more families and children hear about Wonder’s offerings.
Website
Wonder’s websites serves the purpose of informing the local community, connecting parents to creative resources in the neighborhood, and sharing stories that speak to the impact of Wonder’s programming. The site consists of a homepage with information about what Wonder is, a current stories page, and a page to connect parents to local programming. The website serves as a completely optional step, providing supplemental information and steps that aren’t required to enter Wonder’s programming. At Wonder, the staff and volunteers understand that not every family in an underserved community has access to a device or internet, for this reason, the website is strictly an additional feature for parents or students to learn more about Wonder and how to get involved.
ID Card
Each child that joins Wonder’s programming receives an ID Card. Wonder volunteers and staff members scan a child’s ID card upon arrival to the trolley, tracking attendance and monitoring who is consistently a part of the programming. The ID Cards serve as one way to ensure that no child slips through the cracks.
Packaging: Creative Supplies
To create a space for students to explore creativity outside of Wonder’s regular programming, each new student receives a “Wonder Welcome Bag.” Inside the bag, each student will find markers, colored pencils, scissors, watercolors, a sketchbook, and a sticker. Each individual item honors a current Wonder Artist by featuring their picture, a piece of work using the medium in the package, and a short quote about their favorite things to create.
Quarterly Publication
To reach current sponsors, new families, and local schools, Wonder publishes a quarterly magazine. This publication includes program updates, stories from current students and mentors, coloring pages, and information for prospective artists/their families. Each magazine features a current student on the front, putting names and faces to the impact that Wonder is having across the nation. The content inside varies based on issue, but children in the program are given opportunities to write stories and create art to be featured in the magazine.
