Education
Growth
Communications
Brand

Inspire Unconventional & Institutional Audiences—at the Same Time

John Muir Charter Schools
overview

Tell the Story Few Will. Move an Audience Few Reach.

The 16- to 26-year-old students John Muir Charter Schools (JMCS) targets have left (or have been excluded by) conventional school systems. Reaching these students requires storytelling that breaks through deeply entrenched assumptions. The Friday team worked with JMCS to develop a brand that amplifies JMCS students’ strengths rather than all too common deficit-based narratives.

challenge
insight
solution
JMCS needed a brand and recruitment strategy that both students failed by traditional systems and the institutional partners within those systems would trust. The messaging had to affirm learners navigating nontraditional paths without alienating educators, probation officers, and referral partners who operate inside conventional structures.
The breakthrough wasn’t simply affirming that all students have value. It was reframing the characteristics that hadn’t worked in conventional schools as strengths at JMCS. By reframing unconventional journeys this way, prospective JMCS students could see their pasts as evidence of persistence, adaptability, and wisdom. The brand needed to communicate a “because of and in spite of” narrative and position past barriers as context for growth, not proof of limitation.
Friday built a refreshed brand and digital experience that centers student dignity while maintaining institutional credibility. We anchored messaging in asset-based language, eliminated deficit framing, and created clear audience pathways for students, families, and partners. The website architecture allows each group to find what matters to them—program details, referral processes, graduation requirements—without segmenting the story or softening JMCS’s bold stance on belonging.
overview

Tell the Story Few Will. Move an Audience Few Reach.

The 16- to 26-year-old students John Muir Charter Schools (JMCS) targets have left (or have been excluded by) conventional school systems. Reaching these students requires storytelling that breaks through deeply entrenched assumptions. The Friday team worked with JMCS to develop a brand that amplifies JMCS students’ strengths rather than all too common deficit-based narratives.

challenge
JMCS needed a brand and recruitment strategy that both students failed by traditional systems and the institutional partners within those systems would trust. The messaging had to affirm learners navigating nontraditional paths without alienating educators, probation officers, and referral partners who operate inside conventional structures.
insight
The breakthrough wasn’t simply affirming that all students have value. It was reframing the characteristics that hadn’t worked in conventional schools as strengths at JMCS. By reframing unconventional journeys this way, prospective JMCS students could see their pasts as evidence of persistence, adaptability, and wisdom. The brand needed to communicate a “because of and in spite of” narrative and position past barriers as context for growth, not proof of limitation.
solution
Friday built a refreshed brand and digital experience that centers student dignity while maintaining institutional credibility. We anchored messaging in asset-based language, eliminated deficit framing, and created clear audience pathways for students, families, and partners. The website architecture allows each group to find what matters to them—program details, referral processes, graduation requirements—without segmenting the story or softening JMCS’s bold stance on belonging.
John Muir Charter Schools home page with "I want to" dropdown to help distinct audiences navigate to the content that matters most to them
Icons for each of John Muir Charter Schools' core differentiators
Collateral promoting John Muir Charter Schools
No items found.

“Working with the team at Friday was an amazing experience. They walked us through each stage of our marketing plan from planning to mission and vision refinement, to being sure our words and images truly reflected the paths and experiences of our students. The Friday team helped us to better understand our own mission and vision in a way that allows us to truly present ourselves not only to the public but to our staff, partners, colleagues, and most importantly, our students. I cannot recommend the Friday team enough.”

R.J. Guess
R.J. Guess
CEO, John Muir Charter Schools
related case Studies
Opportunity
JobsFirst

How a hyper-local brand became the foundation for a national movement.

‍

View Project
Brand
Communications
Community
Spartanburg Academic Movement

Everyone could explain their own thread. The tapestry was another story.

View Project
Brand
Communications
Opportunity
Edgility Search, a client of Friday social impact consulting
Edgility Search

A refreshed brand that turns unconventional rigor into clear differentiation.

‍

View Project
Brand
View All
Related Resources
This is some text inside of a div block.
Medium length hero heading goes here

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

Button

Turn Purpose Into Power

Leave an unforgettable mark. Make an unbelievable impact.

Email Us
Book a Call