Starshine Academy

Identity redesigned by Lucid Brands, to launch August 2006

You probably have not yet heard of Starshine Academy, a one-unit charter school organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. But its founder, social entrepreneur Tricia Adams, is determined to make it a nationwide movement, whose mission is to create transformation via small schools in at-risk communities.  Consultant Scott Lerman (formerly of  Siegel+Gale and Enterprise IG) came to know of Starshine as a classroom branding assignment, while serving as a visiting lecturer at the Thunderbird business school, and offered to improve the brand's rather primitive presentation of its (brilliant) name.

The current mark was a stab at "reaching for the stars." But Lerman heard the Starshine people talking about "spreading the Starshine effect,"  which brought to mind the image of a sower of seeds. On an old magazine cover, Scott found an  exuberant Johnny Appleseed-type character in full stride. He made a sketch, replacing the seeds with stars, and recruited the gifted identity designer Joe Fino (Finocchiaro) to make the image work better for Starshine. Below, you'll see Lerman's notes on this task.

Lerman also recruited service contributions from Corebrand, from signmakers Colite International and Web designers Kline Interactive, and "others I've yet to call. People have been very giving. It just shows you what our community can accomplish." 

The market value of these contributions (positioning, identity program, signs and site, capabilities brochure and print literature system), "easily $300-450k's worth in my previous firms." A nice boost for Starshine.
 

Credits:
For Starshine Academy: Tricia A. Adams, Founder and CEO
Identity counsel and design:   Lucid Brands
Designer:  Scott Lerman, Creative Director, assisted by Joe Finocchiaro
 

Refining the rough sketch