CROSSROADS SCHOOL FOR ARTS AND SCIENCES

Santa Monica, CA • Grades K-12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

This was absolutely the most innovative entry in the group. I love the bold design coupled with the strong messaging. It caught my attention and made me want to spend more time learning about the school.

This is brave and bold! The mobile theme is creative and effective. The writing is strong. 

I loved everything about this piece, from the copy (very well written) to the circle cutouts. You did a great job of communicating all of the wonderful things that the AF supports without it being an overwhelming amount of copy. Very creative layout with the circle shapes and fun!

This is an incredibly creative way to grab the attention of the community. These beautiful circular arrangements serve as purposeful decoration. I can imagine encountering them and wanting to read each of them.

SILVER

GREENHILL SCHOOL

Addison, TX • Grades PK-12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

This piece screams of energy and excitement! I love the impact of the pictures and the use of bolding and color variations to draw attention in the text. Typically I don't care for a lot of change in text, but on this piece because of its simplicity and straightforward copy, these variations are very effective to drawing the readers attention to what is important in the messaging. I also like that they included financial information. I think this piece makes the annual giving appeal fun.

What's the excitement about? Love that! And those happy kids make me want to open my wallet right now! Photos througout are strong and joyful. Copy design with highlighted words is effective. Pie charts are nice.

I loved the action-packed photography, the bright colors, and fun layout of this piece. It really made me feel that this is a school with exciting things going on! Great job!

BRONZE

ALMANAC FOR
MICDS

St. Louis, MO • Early Childhood-Grade 12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

I like how this piece included a poster with good information on what a donation could cover. The copy was also laid out and broken up so that it was easy to consume.

Beautiful packaging. Love the way it folds out. Hard to miss in the mailbox!

Really loved the design of this piece. The overlay of the colors was appealing coupled with high quality photos. I like their approach to the statistics and how they chose a few costs to share. I think it makes giving more tangible for some parents.

The graphic design and photography really struck me. It was a very visually appealing piece.

BRONZE

HOLY INNOCENTS' EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Atlanta, GA • 3 Years-Grade 12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Creative use of head of school for narration. Loved the "eyes" theme. Good slow motion usage. Good outdoor shots from drone.

The video had footage that was inspiring and gave you a positive sense of the school. The talking points the head of school shared in the voice over format were inspiring and motivating. There is a strong sense of how an annual fund helps the longstanding tradition and mission endure. The music is also a nice touch to this message.

Outstanding video!

I like the way it begins with "look into the eyes of our students" and how that carries through the video. I like that it's the voice of the headmaster and that there's authenticity around his message. Really nicely shot footage mixed with inspiring music. He makes a compelling case and how can you say no to those all of those eyes?Not super creative, but solid and really well done.

NCSDO FOR
BERKSHIRE SCHOOL

Sheffield, MA • Grades 9-12 Coed Boarding

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

I love the originality in the campaign theme here and how that carries through in the copy and photography. The piece does a very good job of clearly outlining the need for support in a way that's easy to understand. The stories about alums were short, thoughtful and to the point, making a clear connection to the need for funds, which seems like a rarity.

The quotes from key stakeholders —students and faculty — were very effective.They were short and impactful and it was great they included photographs of each. I thought it was a great piece.

This piece was excellent. The messaging was inspiring with a clear case for support. Pride in what has been done and the opportunities to improve were very well balanced and the invitation to participate meaningfully was compelling. The testimonials by the faculty and alumni were terrific. Very well done!

SILVER

CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL

Bronx, NY • Grades 9-12, Boys Day 

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Cover-to-cover, this piece makes a very compelling case. I loved that there were only limited photos in the piece, but the ones that were used were of incredibly high quality. No three-under-the-tree makes any school piece stand out. The copy was direct and the use of infographics was very well done — they added to the message instead of distracting from it.

This piece was very well done and a compelling case for support. The statistics shown were a strong call to action, balanced nicely with the impact that Hayes is already making on its community. A strong sense of school identity was present as was an urgent call to action, without conveying anything but strength. Where urgency can sometimes be tainted by desperation, this was not the case at all here. Well done.

Excellent use of infographics to make the case for support. Those full-page portrait photos of students are gorgeous. 

BRONZE

SAGE HILL SCHOOL

Newport Coast, CA • Grades 9-12, Coed Day 

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Exquisite muscular language that states campaign goals emphatically with only a little jargon. This piece convinces me that Sage Hill is authentic in its determination to educate graduates who make the world a better place, and it will convince major donors to invest as well.

WOW. This is incredible! Creative, well-thought out, well-written.

The photography and design were beautifully done on this piece. The call to support was effective and thoughtfully executed.

CARDINAL HAYES HIGH SCHOOL

Bronx, NY • Grades 9-12, Boys Day 

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

True confession: I saw this video was 12 minutes long, and I was ready to write it off. I didn't, and you shouldn't either. This is visual storytelling at the highest level. The videography work is exceptional — the motion captures the energy of an all-boys environment, and the lighting is thoughtful at every step. But it's the way the storytelling happens, down to plot twists and callbacks, that make this a compelling case for support. We see people with whom we can identify, and we're called to put ourselves in their shoes. This is incredibly high-level work.

Wow, this was a tear jerker. I thought this was very impactful. Cardinal Hayes mission has always been impressive. It is clear that for all of the students Hayes is a changemaker. The video tells the story of how Hayes makes a difference to its students and provides an opportunity to stop the cycle of poverty. Bravo. Up Hayes!

I like the way this video blended the school's history with evidence that it is still living its mission every day as it educates boys from the Bronx. Clearly, the BEST part of this video is when we hear from a student and his mother and it gets emotional! I loved the surprise element; I certainly teared up when the donor met the family. Overall, effective in sharing why donors need to support this school and its work.

SILVER

COGNIZANT FILMS FOR
MARIN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Corte Madera, CA  • Grades K-8, Coed Day 

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

This video did good work at setting a scene, both with the city footage and the historical footage, which was a really, really nice touch. Kudos here for leaning on a head of school who is well-spoken and comfortable in front of a camera.

Beautiful images, and a great message that both addresses a problem and your place in solving it. The transition from city chaos to your serene campus was very effective. The balance of emphasizing the physical improvements along with the inspirations transformations that happen on campus was perfect. Well done.

I thought this was creative. I think the need was clearly developed. I loved how they tied the importance of the outdoor space and included upgrades in their current campaign. It was a good length.

BRONZE

ROWLAND HALL

Salt Lake City, UT • Age 2 -Grade 12, Coed Day 

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

This video is makes a great case for new Rowland Hall Middle School facility. I really appreciated that the faculty and leadership are appreciative of what they have now, but are inspiring as they describe how teaching and learning can be enhanced and what they imagine more flexible spaces can bring.The videography keeps this moving with a mix of speeds and animation. Overall, it presents a very compelling and exciting case for a new building.

Nice fast intro to all the students. Great job showing the problem of being in a small space, and the potential of the new space. The quote about the new building now changing the teaching, but having an impact on the way students learn is very effective in explaining the situation in a very real way. Great work.

I enjoyed that this video wasn't shy about what wasn't working in their Middle School. In fact, it reflected the mindset of Middle School students, which I enjoyed.

CHENEY & COMPANY FOR
THE CATHEDRAL SCHOOL OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE

New York, NY • Grades K-8, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Exemplary. The video opens with children's laughter and gets right to the heart of the campaign. Clear, confident, energetic copy with a call to action - "Join us". Excellent use of stunning architectural renderings for each of the three campaign priorities, and of the floor plans highlighting areas to be renovated. Highly motivational - just what a campaign website should be.

LOVED LOVED LOVED the copy! It told a story and I was inspired to keep ready to learn more. My only suggestion to increase effectiveness would be to make the "Join Us" more prominent (at the very least a button) or try to place it at the top somewhere.

The Cathedral School Campaign maximized the scrolling functionality of the web to seamlessly transition between photographs and texts, keeping the viewer engaged. Infographics effectively communicated key aspects of their campaign, offering tangible insights into the case for support and the benefits of the fundraising.

This page was extremely well-designed and the copy was first rate and flowed with the page. Scrolling through the page you got an overview of the campaign goals. There were places to click for more info, but you learned a lot just on the page. Their video was also interesting with its tie to the heritage of the school.

SILVER

FRIENDS SEMINARY

New York, NY • Grades K-12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

The Light the Future Campaign logo for Friends Seminary beautifully echoed and referenced their school logo/identity. The colors of their campaign site, and the streamlined design clearly stem from the logo. The site was easy to navigate and presented campaign information clearly and succintly. The impact of such a comprehensive campaign was clear!

Nice animation of amount raised to date, and very nice timeline on History of Philanthropy and Construction — one of the best depictions I've seen. The collection of awesomely-produced videos creates a wonderful impression as admissions pieces, but mostly soft-pedal the needs and urgency of a campaign; the "more space" video stands out because the faculty speak with a unified voice and you can see how squished some current spaces are. Overall the copy has a pleasant muted tone — perhaps keeping with Quaker tradition. 

The video, part of the page, elevated the page. Nice design. The copy on the campaign video was very well done. It is hard to beat Liev Schreiber reading anything.

BRONZE

WESTOVER SCHOOL

Middlebury, CT • Grades 9-12, Girls Boarding and Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Great idea! Loved the uniqueness of this campaign — especially to help with excitement during February and capitalize off of Valentine's Day. 

The link opened on an Annual Fund challenge that was cute and clever: Post the West or Over image on your social media page after you make a gift. Simplistic layout included a fun photo of students.

THE WINSOR SCHOOL

Boston, MA • Grades 5-12, Girls Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Well done final campaign report that really showcased the impact on students. Loved the individual portraits. Design was cohesive and had a nice flow. Good use of quotes to break up the lists of name.

Terrific piece! I now know what they are about (consistent branding) and why the new building is important. Great use of photography.

As a campaign donor recogtion piece, this one delivers. Crisp colorful photos show students in the new spaces funded through the campaign. Most of the text is quotes from donors and friends of the school - every single one is articulate and inspiring. The requisite list of donor names is punctuated by photos and quotes from donors — very meaningful.

SILVER

CHADWICK SCHOOL

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA • Grades K-12, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Creatively mixes compelling stories and photos with lists of donors — breaking up the lists graphically with inspiring content. Both a development report and a state-of-the-school report in a clean, vibrant delivery.

Beautiful photography, clean and appealing design, good use of text placement, and thankfully few infographics. Well done!

BRONZE

IM DESIGN FOR
HARFORD DAY SCHOOL

Bel Air, MD • Age 3-Grade 8, Coed Day

SAMPLE JUDGES' COMMENTS

Incredibly sleek and sophisticated design shows that this preK-8 school is game on. Clever layout of alumni vignettes juxtaposed with their old class photo is fun and engages the reader. Even something about a list of names in small caps is more elegant than the usual list. Excellent donor recognition AND marketing piece.

Simple, clean, consise presentation of annual giving program. Less is more. Well organized. Like the alumni profiles and quotes. Good use of white space on list pages.

Fresh approach.

In depth alumni profiles were really nice. Fresh color scheme.