Let us tell you about the logo and the posters
The visual materials for our program were created by Alma Hoffmann. She is a designer and teaches at the University of South Alabama, where I work.
Alma had been a junior high school teacher and was excited to imagine how she could best collaborate with our youth advisory board (YAB) to create the visual materials. This led to very fun and interesting conversations. Alma suggested that we have YAB retreats in which we cover the walls with paper and provide art supplies--like big markers, paint, and construction paper--to promote creativity and imagination. We did this during three brainstorming sessions: one Thursday afternoon and two Saturday mornings. In each session, we had different prompts for sparking images or ideas related to our program, the word Empowered, the virtues, the big values, and some key skills we promote in the curriculum. Our YAB sometimes painted, other times drew, and sometimes cut out shapes. Some of the art and images were created solely by a YAB member, and some were collaborative between a project team member and a YAB member or members. This juxtaposition of different styles has become a unique component in our visual materials.
The resulting materials are something beyond what I could have envisioned.
The youths' voices, thoughts, and aesthetic were part of the process of developing both our logo and our posters. Each session brought memorable moments of connection among all of us, and we grew together in community and hope.
Please go over to Alma's site and read about her process in her own words! In the meantime, you can see the posters here.
Alma had been a junior high school teacher and was excited to imagine how she could best collaborate with our youth advisory board (YAB) to create the visual materials. This led to very fun and interesting conversations. Alma suggested that we have YAB retreats in which we cover the walls with paper and provide art supplies--like big markers, paint, and construction paper--to promote creativity and imagination. We did this during three brainstorming sessions: one Thursday afternoon and two Saturday mornings. In each session, we had different prompts for sparking images or ideas related to our program, the word Empowered, the virtues, the big values, and some key skills we promote in the curriculum. Our YAB sometimes painted, other times drew, and sometimes cut out shapes. Some of the art and images were created solely by a YAB member, and some were collaborative between a project team member and a YAB member or members. This juxtaposition of different styles has become a unique component in our visual materials.
The resulting materials are something beyond what I could have envisioned.
The youths' voices, thoughts, and aesthetic were part of the process of developing both our logo and our posters. Each session brought memorable moments of connection among all of us, and we grew together in community and hope.
Please go over to Alma's site and read about her process in her own words! In the meantime, you can see the posters here.