Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Spreads Cheer for 4th Year Running
Middlesex customers to unwrap holiday greetings from local teen biz whizzes
As Middlesex Savings Bank customers click-on or open up the bank’s annual holiday greeting and e-greeting cards this year, they will be treated to the talents of local teen graphic designers, photographers and entrepreneurs at Digitize—a student-run business of the Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (www.YEAworks.org.)
For the past 10 years the Cocord-based Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (YEA) has helped teens build a better life by giving them the confidence, business and life skills they need to soar educationally, personally, and professionally. Student members of the YEA Digitize team -- based at the Design and Visual Communication Program of Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough, MA -- learn by doing, and from soaking in the advice and experience of business mentors and clients.
2011 marks the fourth year that Digitize is working with Middlesex Savings Bank on their holiday greetings. This year both printed and e-cards will be sent to help the bank get greener – to the tune of 40K cards sent electronically.
How do these teen entrepreneurs do it? Well like any design firm working with any client in the business world … they start with client input sessions and brainstorms. Then, unique to YEA, they go back to their school-based office at Digitize and continue brainstorming and start creating and editing their designs—individually, as a class, and in small working teams. In designing and animating their concepts, they tap into both their design curriculum which includes mechanical preparation, color theory, and photography; as well YEA’s business curriculum which includes planning, budgeting, marketing, presentation skills and more. They also learn to factor in web and print publishing standards just like the pros.
From this, a number of dynamic design concepts are born and presented to the Middlesex Savings Bank clients and -- just like in any creative agency pitch -- only a few make the cut.
This year two winners were chosen by Middlesex.
The first features an iconic, New England weathered red barn in a snowy landscape, featured as both a printed card and this year’s e-version. It was photographed and designed by Ryan Davolio, of Shrewsbury, MA. Ryan plans to attend art college after high school and has set his sights on working as a special occasion, wedding and travel photographer.
The second winning design spreads cheer with a graphic montage of holiday elements featuring pastel colors and proclaiming Hope & Joy. This card was conceived by Dustin Sampson of Boylston, MA. Dustin is also destined for a creative future as he plans to attend a four-year college or university to study graphic design and then pursue a career in the field.
This type of learning really empowers the YEA students by giving them first-hand knowledge of what it feels like to work in a career that uses their passions. YEA and Digitize call this experiential or high stakes learning. MSB calls it good business.
“By doing business with our students, Middlesex Savings Bank does more than just help support our programs, they give teens the opportunity to immerse themselves in the exciting and competitive graphic design industry,” said Deborah Harper, Lead Teacher in Assabet’s Design & Visual Communication Program and YEA teaching partner. “When pitching and creating the Middlesex greetings these young entrepreneurs need to be able to merge the language of design with the client’s business objectives, they need to plan to deadline and work as teams, they need commit to being strong presenters and self-motivated professionals… this is the ultimate reality check.”
"We were very impressed by the level of professionalism that these young graphic designers showed. We were presented with some well thought out designs that met the design requirements that we defined for them." said Jim Briand, senior vice president and marketing director for Middlesex. "And we were again pleased that Tim Sprague, Creative Director from our Advertising Agency was able to volunteer his time and expertise to mentor the students. The collaboration resulted in a great experience for the students, and very nice holiday cards for the bank."
In addition to Digitize, YEA also operates student-led businesses and programs at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf in Brighton and in the Framingham Public Schools.
About YEA
For over a decade, the Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (YEA) has been helping teens develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed – educationally, personally, and professionally. Through an innovative, multi-year program based right in their schools, YEA teens learn hands-on from teachers as well as business mentors how to lead and manage real businesses with real clients – from individuals to Fortune 500 companies.
For teens who may not have access to college graduates and business professionals as role models, the YEA experience is especially transformative. More than 900 teens since 2001 have participated in YEA; 98 percent have graduated from high school on time, and 80 percent have gone on to higher education.
For more information or to get involved with YEA visit www.YEAworks.org.
