Community. Respect. Belonging.

These are the core ideals of Catholic High Schools of Western New York, a vibrant community of private schools in our region. We’re working with school leaders (and others) to promote enrollment in the 2021 school year. Here’s what it looks like so far.

The school community.

Catholic High Schools of Western New York represents a rich tradition of academic achievement, extracurricular excellence, and faithful service to our community. Predicated on student-centered learning across all subject areas, the schools’ classrooms offer the most rewarding educational experiences in the most supportive environments. The school consortium includes the following:

• Bishop Timon-St. Jude
• Canisius High School
• Cardinal O’Hara High School
• Mount Mercy Academy
• Mount Saint Mary Academy
• Nardin Academy
• Sacred Heart Academy
• St. Francis High School
• St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
• St. Mary’s High School

The history.

Up until recently, our work for Catholic High Schools of Western New York has centered around three key strategies:

1. Celebrate the storied histories of the school community
2. Establish each school as a WNY institution and lifelong support network for students and alumni
3. Differentiate the school community from other schools in the region

The situation.

You know what happened next: COVID-19. From there, navigating virtual and on-site learning experiences became difficult for every school in… well, the world. As students and families grappled with the chaotic nature of the pandemic, school leaders were challenged with creating safe, responsible, and supportive learning environments for their school community. Fortunately, Catholic High Schools of Western New York succeeded in delivering on-site and virtual instruction that led to a rich and fruitful school year for all its institutions in 2020.

And that’s great, but now what? In 2021, the leadership team at Catholic High Schools of Western New York put in countless hours of work and research to determine the best course of action for its students, faculty, and families. A final ruling has been made: Full-time, on-site classes will resume this fall. With a unanimous decision in place, the next step was to make the announcement loud and clear. That’s where we come in.

The task.

Create a marketing campaign that invites new students, teachers, and families to apply for the 2021 school year at Catholic High Schools of Western New York.

The message.

Something that says: “Real learning happens in real classrooms when students can come together, stay connected, and engage their learning five days  week. Catholic High Schools of Western New York is inviting students, teachers, and families to rediscover an active school community. Our doors are open! It’s not too late to apply for the fall 2021 school year.”

The work.

30-second video
Script. High-quality video with motion graphics and animation. Professional voice-over. Displayed on social media, digital ads, and the schools’ collective landing page. (You can see some of our videos here.)

Landing page
New video. Fresh the copy. URL shared on social media and in digital ads. Click the image to view the landing page.

Social media + digital advertising
Condensed messaging. Clear-cut CTA. Button to the landing page. And because there are 10 different schools that make up Catholic High Schools of Western New York, we put together a series of digital ads that speak to each specific school. (Those aren’t pictured here, but we totally made them, we promise.)

That’s it!

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