St. Mark's School

CAMPAIGN

St. Mark’s School

OVERVIEW

Kilter created an inspiring fundraising brochure and video for Saint Mark’s School, galvanizing support for their ambitious campus reimagination project.

SERVICES

Concepting
Copywriting
Publication Design
Illustration
Video Production

Saint Mark's School Fundraising Brochure by Kilter.

CONTEXT

Founded in 1960, Saint Mark’s School nurtures students from preschool through sixth grade, emphasizing strong academics, character building, diversity, and spiritual growth. The school’s philosophy balances social-emotional development with intellectual pursuits, providing a supportive environment for young learners.

In 2023, Saint Mark’s launched a transformative campaign to fund crucial campus improvements, including a new early childhood education center and elementary sports court.

Illustration depicting kids chatting on a hill, playing basketball, and jump-roping. Illustration by Kilter.

Illustration of students doing a variety of activities in the reimagined Dunlap Hall. Illustration by Kilter.

THE ASSIGNMENT

Kilter was tasked with creating a compelling fundraising brochure and video to inspire the Saint Mark’s community. Our challenge: to vividly illustrate how these enhancements would elevate the Saint Mark's experience and motivate generous support from the school community.

Photo of inner spread of SMS fundraising brochure with an illustration and

Photo of inner spread of SMS fundraising brochure containing renders of future SMS construction and a photo of two students hugging. Designed by Kilter.

Mockup of intro spread of SMS Fundraising Brochure by Kilter

“Working with Kilter was a really enjoyable experience. From our first introduction on they were thoughtful collaborators who brought fresh ideas, listened well, and adjusted along the way. In the end, we have amazing materials that speak to our community and help us share our story!”

Irene Mason
Director of Advancement, Saint Mark’s School

Photo of a spread from SMS fundraising brochure containing a render of the campus and a quote from parents. Designed by Kilter.

Photo of final spread in SMS fundraising brochure containing

OUR SOLUTION

Rather than just enumerating a laundry list of campus upgrades, we crafted a campaign narrative that instead focused on how these improvements would amplify Saint Mark’s core values and transform the student experience.

The headline we crafted for the cover of the brochure invited community members to "Envision a place for... exploration, laughter, community, growth, celebration, discovery, revelation, mastery, friendship, courage, breakthroughs, play, collaboration, inquiry, understanding, joy, affirmation, everyone." This thematic thread wove through the entire piece, with sections like "A place for growth" highlighting preschool facility upgrades and "A place for play" showcasing improved sports courts. The brochure culminated in "A place for generosity," a heartfelt appeal reminding families that their support was crucial in bringing this vision to life.

To complement our messaging, we developed a series of joyful, watercolor-style illustrations depicting the vibrant community moments these upgrades would foster. This approach both forged an emotional connection with readers and elegantly addressed the practical challenge of limited architectural renderings.

Building on the brochure’s foundation, we expanded our narrative into a short fundraising video. This piece brought the everyday student experience to life while illuminating how the proposed upgrades would enhance the Saint Mark’s journey for every child.