Dual School

Helping students pursue their passions outside the classroom

Dual School is a student idea incubator that encourages high school students to launch passion projects that supplement their classroom learning.

Student and mentors working together

The organization focuses on providing experiential learning, and volunteer mentors guide students into realizing their projects by running workshops, creating physical prototypes, and developing websites. We created a website to serve as a hub for the Dual School community while also adding in the functionality to handle applications for aspiring members.

Speaking to multiple audiences

While the concept behind Dual School may sound straightforward, conveying this idea to multiple audiences clearly and simply was complex.

Aside from encouraging students to join, Dual School also had to make a lasting impression on those in the industry, including school counselors, teachers, mentors, investors, and parents.

We worked closely with Dual School to create their brand identity and website to introduce who they are, what they do, and why they do it, all while speaking to multiple audiences.

Unearthing Dual School’s identity

Creating Dual School's identity began with designing their logo. Because they had no brand identity when we first worked with them, we took a hands-on approach in developing our ideas for the look and feel.

In addition to our usual process of research, meetings, and surveys, we also collaborated with the students, mentors, and teachers from the beginning through individual and group sessions. This boots-on-the-ground method allowed us to better understand how those involved viewed Dual School.

Breaking the mold

We rooted Dual School’s branding in the foundations of education. The identity focuses on communicating through playful colors and sleek fonts to balance cues taken from the past with eyes firmly on the future.

Learning is different for each of us, and doesn’t always fit into predetermined curriculum or standardized tests. The logo forwards the idea of breaking the mold in education. The emphasis on “Dual” emphasizes the supplementary nature of Dual School as a compliment to the standard education, while the choice of primary colors represent fundamental ideas.

Expanding Dual School’s reach online

The website made it easier for Dual School to connect with students, teachers, and organizations, through sharing their story, and the story of the people behind it, including its founders, mentors, and students.

Today, Dual School’s application process and event registrations are run through the website. We designed the website to be simple enough to be managed by Dual School staff, while maintaining a consistent look and feel throughout.

Creating a buzz around Dual School

Generating interest and establishing brand identity was critical in early events designed to recruit students, mentors, and investors.

After collaborating with students and those behind Dual School, we designed and printed marketing collateral, including stickers, banner stands, event invitations and programs. We also designed email templates and ran the digital campaign to track those attending.