Week iv assignment
- 1. LaTrice Strong Rogue – PR 09/29/2013 Link to Slideshare EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DC’s Public School New Heights Program for Expectant and Parenting high school students helps teen parents move towards self-sufficiency by providing mental and physical support. The objective is to reduce the high school drop out rate amongst the targeted population and prevent secondary or repeated pregnancies’. The New Heights program also provides supportive services to students who have aged out of
- 2. traditional high school programs, and attend the High Schools “Stay Program”. The Stay programs are alternative educational programs for students who are between the ages of 19 – 26. SITUATION ANALYSIS PROBLEM STATEMENT The New Heights Program Survival solely depends on the funding of Federal and District funds such as grants. Objectively the purpose of this program is to rally support of the community and the District’s community leaders of the program, with hopes of starting dialogue that could lead to permanent funding options. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND The New Heights Teen Parents Program Provides Pregnant and Parenting DC Public School Students with assistance, support, and guidance that they need to handle the responsibilities of raising a child and graduating from high school. One important function of the program is to make sure that all pregnant and parenting students rights are protected under the Federal government’s Title IX law. Pregnant and Parenting students have the same equal rights as non-parenting students. The right to remain in their schools and participate in school programs, free from judgment and discrimination, in addition to the right of receiving accommodations such as the implementation of homework packets while expectant students are recovering from child birth and post natal care. The students are medically excused from school for the duration of 6- 8 weeks. The New Heights Program develops partnerships with community-based organizations that facilitate educational workshops such as prenatal care, parenting, nutrition, life skills, financial literacy, and healthy relationships. These Workshops are presented to all the New Heights participants at their schools. Each participating school that has the New Heights program, has a New Heights coordinator staffed that is responsible for recruiting students, branding the program in the school community, and in responsible for the program’s operations. New Heights coordinators are also responsible for encouraging self-growth amongst the students, with am emphasis on establishing personal goals and optimism about their futures. Coordinators are also responsible for teaching problem solving and decision making skills, these skills are incorporated into educational interventions that feature counseling, youth development, and mentoring components. New Heights coordinators are responsible for providing case management, by supporting students; weighing the risks associated with having unprotected sex, and discussing the added hardships of the threat of second or repeated pregnancies, while still navigating through high school, with the ultimate goal of completing High School, and preparing for life after high school. New Heights coordinators emphasize skill building as a means to overcome challenges.
- 3. The New Heights program is funded by district and federal funds. The organizations that fund the programs are; DC Department of Human Services, and the Federal Government Pregnancy Assistance Fund, through the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health. In the District of Columbia, there are a number of programs that provide support directly to teen parents, however New Heights is the only program that is school base that provides services to teens in the DC Public School System. With a goal to promote and raise brand awareness of the New Heights Program, the information that I currently have is extremely beneficial and informative that can be used to plan my PR campaign. COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS The New Heights Program has a favorable image and reputation in the community. The following PR strategies that have been utilized to promote the New Heights program is a current running campaign titled “I decide 2 be”. The advertisement can be seen on the outside of most of the DC Metro Public Buses in Washington DC. The Department of Human Services paid for the advertisement. The I Decide 2 Be campaign also has a social media page on Facebook and Twitter. A recent survey was completed and the survey revealed that the messages on the social media pages were not reaching the target audience, because the content did not speak the youth language, or was not engaging. The actual New Heights Program can benefit from a website, outside of DC Public School System website. New Heights received positive press in the media, Summer 2012 The first annual New Heights teen summit, attendees were local politicians, such as representatives from the Mayors office, Community leaders such as the Chief of Police for the District of Columbia who happened to be a teen parent herself, and of course some on the New Heights participants that had a chance to tell their stories, and discuss how the New Heights aided them with completing High School, being a safe haven, and preparing for college. August 16, 2013 The New Heights Program had its second annual Summit where the focus was on inviting district agencies that provided direct support to teen parents. The messaging at the 2013 summit was a success. Federal workers from the Department of Health and Human Service and other leaders had an opportunity to hear from an panel of New Heights Students share intimate details about their lives and background, in addition to participating in an Question and Answer with the students. Local media outlets were available to witness the discussion. Ideally if The New Heights Program can continue to personalize the message to decision makers, the community, and the overall pubic, I believe that New Heights can assist with educating the public how Teen Pregnancy is not just an Teen problem issue, But Teen Pregnancy is a national public health problem for members of society. CURRENT SITUATION The New Heights Program has been divided into two levels. The original New Heights Program, “New Heights I” only provided services to two high school. New Heights one was also very limited in regard to what resources it could provide
- 4. students. The New Heights Program received Federal funding, which allowed the program to expand into 13 High Schools, including two charter schools, titled “New Heights II”. Funding is now available to assist students with big-ticket items they may have not been able to afford such as pampers, wipes, cribs, strollers etc. Currently the program only operates off of grant money. A new grant was submitted in April to apply for four additional years of funding, unfortunately July 25, 2013 The New Heights Program was approved but was unfunded. The federal grant that provided New Heights with funding only funded half of the programs that it was slated to fund. Currently New Heights is operating off of carryover funds that are expected to expire 01/2013. Currently there is a push to locate funds on the District Level to keep the program operational. The Key Opportunity / Key Problem that the PR campaign must address is how vital the New Heights program is in the school system. A main goal of the PR program would be to hopefully encourage the District to allocate funds that will continue the ongoing efforts of the program just in case grant funds are no longer available. Without sending out a clear message and encouraging city leaders to take action to include long term funding goals into a budget, The program will always be at risk of no longer being able to provide needed support to the targeted populations. The PR campaign has to work and shift attitudes and views of individuals who may not feel that that teen parenting his not a serious enough issue for permanent funding. The PR campaign will have to work to show that Teen Parenting is no only a teen issue, but it’s a public health problem. The PR campaign can provide evidence based research and statistics that High School drop outs are twice as likely to end up on welfare and unemployable compared to individuals who complete High School and move on to entering college or picking up a trade. PRELIMINARY IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AUDIENCES The Preliminary group that the campaign will target is any persons who are in a position of power such as politicians, the media, and the Districts school officials and executives, in addition to community members e.g- Parents of teen parents, Teen parents that are participating in the program, in addition to teen parents who are alumni of the program, and have move on to college etc. MARKETING OBJECTIVES TARGET MARKET The target market for the New Heights Program are parenting or expectant students who are male and females attending high schools in the District of Columbia. The Target Market also includes other organizations that provide direct services to Teen Parents that reside in the District of Columbia, with a hope to build working and beneficial relationships. BUYER PERSONA
- 5. Meet Claudia – Reyes Martinez! Claudia is an 18-year-old single parent to a 2-year-old boy and is expecting her second baby. Claudia currently resides in the home with her mother, father, 3 younger siblings and her son. Claudia is in her final year of high school, determined to graduate because she wants to secure employment to support her growing family. Claudia has no earned income, however receives state assistance in the amount of $336.00 per month from the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families entitlement benefits. Claudia does not receive child support from her children’s father, because he is undocumented and currently is out of the country. Claudia has reported that her children father will not be returning to the US, and does not know when she will see him again. Creative Samples Product and Features Description and Benefits New Heights provides school base coordinators that are available to the Parenting and Expectant students enrolled in the High Schools Monday – Friday from 8:15 am 3:15pm. During this time, staff persons are readily available to provide support services to the students. The New Heights program provides educational workshops on an variety of subject matters such as parenting, healthy relationships, dating, mental health, Domestic Violence, Prenatal and Post Pardom care, and a host of other subject matters. The New Heights Program provides parenting students with transportation assistance to and from school. The New Heights Program also provides with incentives such as boxes of diapers, baby wipes, high chairs, strollers, and other big- ticket items. The New Heights program provides case management services to the students, in addition to providing referral base services to outside community resources such as Child Care Service Division. New Heights also acts as an advocate to the parenting and expectant students, making sure that their title IX rights are being protected. The following services fall under this category, implementation of homework packets, communicating with teachers and administration staff etc. USP – Unique Selling Proposition
- 6. “No Student Left Behind! Teen Parent’s Unite and take control of your life and your future. The life of your children depends on it. The objective is to you personal ads and messaging that will trigger a strong reaction from the teens. Competition (Product Position) Currently there is no direct competition with the New Heights Program. New Heights is the only school base program, that provides direct services to teen parents, in addition to teen parents being it’s only targeted focus and interest. Support Statement Did you know that most teen parents are expectant to drop out of high school and have a repeated pregnancy within the first year of giving birth to their first child? Did you know that statistics prove that children of teen parents are more likely to become teen parents themselves? Well New Heights know, that your life does not have to be a statistic! The New Heights Program for Expectant and Parenting Students is here to support you! Let New Heights provide you with guidance support and trust as you navigate your journey of balancing high school and parenthood. Visit your school counselor to find out what participating high schools have the New Heights Program. Aesthesis/ Feel / Tone Rogue – PR Logo Medium Flow Table Social Media New Heights Official Website Grassroots Marketing New Heights Advisory Meetings Monthly Open Houses Facebook/ Twitter Separate Website from DCPS official website. Objective to make it Flyers Word of Mouth Email Notifications Bring all the New Heights Students together from different schools to Host open houses in the New Heights offices across to city.
- 7. interactive brainstorm promotional ideas, to discuss success and challenges Media Table Month Task Medium October New Heights March to City Council Office Facebook, Twitter, Website November New Heights Social Media live chat Facebook and Twitter December New Heights Radio Interviews Internet Radio / Local Radio Stations January New Heights Television Interviews Public Access Television/ Local News Broadcast February New Heights Blog Introduction of Blog – Website, Facebook, Twitter March New Heights Documentary Facebook, Twitter, Website April Facebook Twitter Party Website/ Social Media May New Heights Web series Episode I Facebook/ Twitter/ Website June New Heights Web series Episode II Facebook/ Twitter/ Website July New Heights Web series Episode III Facebook/ Twitter/ Website August New Heights Web series Episode IV Season Finale Facebook/ Twitter/ Website September New Heights Meet & Greet Flyers Website/ Facebook/ Twitter/
- 8. Budget Free Marketing e.g – Facebook, Twitter, Website Design - $250.00 for Design (Monthly Updates Included) Flyer Design - $50.00 for one Thousand (which includes design & Printing) Videography - $1000.00