PUBLICOLOR INC
20 WEST 36TH STREET 9TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10018 www.publicolor.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: PUBLICOLOR FIGHTS POVERTY BY USING PROJECT-BASED PROGRAMMING TO AGGRESSIVELY ADDRESS THE ALARMING RATE OF YOUTH DISENGAGEMENT IN NEW YORK CITY. THIS ORGANIZATION DELIBERATELY TARGETS HIGH-RISK, LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN A MULTI-YEAR CONTINUUM OF PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, COLLEGE PREPARATION, JOB READINESS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. THEIR UNIQUE APPLIED LEARNING MODELS USE DESIGN AND DESIGN THINKING TO STIMULATE AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO BECOME CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVERS, EMPOWERING FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, WORK, AND LIFE.

TO FIGHT POVERTY BY USING PROJECT-BASED PROGRAMMING TO AGGRESSIVELY ADDRESS THE ALARMING RATE OF YOUTH DISENGAGEMENT IN NYC.

IN 2020, PUBLICOLOR AGAIN RECEIVED GUIDESTAR'S PLATINUM SEAL OF TRANSPARENCY, ITS HIGHEST RATING. PUBLICOLOR WAS FOUNDED 24 YEARS AGO WHEN FOUNDER RUTH LANDE SHUMAN WAS ALARMED BY THE RISING DROPOUT RATE AND ITS FUTURE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY. SHE HAD VISITED A NUMBER OF MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN EAST HARLEM, AND WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE ALL LOOKED AND FELT LIKE PRISONS. BASED ON WHAT SHE HAD LEARNED WHILE STUDYING FOR HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, SPECIALIZING IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COLOR, RUTH KNEW THAT THE ADDITION OF COLOR INTO THESE ENVIRONMENTS COULD CHANGE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR. SHE FELT THAT IF DISAFFECTED STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED IN PAINTING AND TRANSFORMING THEIR OWN DREARY, INSTITUTIONAL-LOOKING SCHOOLS, THEIR LIVES WOULD BE TRANSFORMED. TODAY, PUBLICOLOR IS WIDELY RESPECTED FOR THE DESIGN-FOCUSED REVITALIZATION OF OVER 500 NEGLECTED SCHOOLS AND NEARBY COMMUNITY FACILITIES, CREATING RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENTS THAT ENERGIZE PRODUCTIVITY. OVER 900 NEW YORK CITY STUDENTS JOIN PUBLICOLOR EACH YEAR TO PAINT WARM AND WELCOMING COLORS IN DRAB AND UNINSPIRING SCHOOLS. AS THEY WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE VISUALLY STIMULATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, THEY DISCOVER SOMETHING MORE A NEW SENSE OF COMMUNITY, STRONG AND TRANSFERABLE WORK HABITS ALONG WITH THE MARKETABLE SKILL OF COMMERCIAL PAINTING, A NEW SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SELF-WORTH, AND A NEW SENSE OF SAFETY.PAINT CLUB IS PUBLICOLOR'S GATEWAY PROGRAM THAT ENGAGES STUDENTS IN TRANSFORMING THEIR INSTITUTIONAL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT INTO A WARM AND WELCOMING SAFE SPACE BY TEACHING THE COMMERCIAL SKILL OF PAINTING. THE PROGRAM, WHICH RUNS AFTER SCHOOL FROM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AND ALL-DAY SATURDAY, EMPHASIZES CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING, LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK SKILLS, REINFORCES STRONG AND TRANSFERABLE WORK HABITS, AND GIVES THEM A STRONG SENSE OF OWNERSHIP IN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. PAINT CLUB RECRUITS UP TO 100 STUDENTS PER SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE MOST AT-RISK STUDENTS AS IDENTIFIED BY THE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP. AT THE END OF EVERY SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION, 15-20 STUDENTS ARE INDUCTED INTO THE PAID APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM (COLOR CLUB OR NEXT STEPS) RESULTING IN A 4-6 YEAR INVOLVEMENT, EMPOWERING THEM TO PLAN AND PREPARE FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER. FOR FY2020, PUBLICOLOR TRANSFORMED 19 SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SITES. IN COMPLIANCE WITH COVID-19 GUIDELINES AND SCHOOL CLOSINGS, WE STOPPED OUR PAINTING PROJECTS IN MID-MARCH. WE HOPE TO RESUME PAINT CLUB WHEN THE SCHOOLS REOPEN ITS DOORS IN THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR. IN FY2021 WE ARE OFFERING FALL DESIGN STUDIO, A 2-HOUR 4 DAY-A-WEEK ONLINE PROGRAM TO 50 STRUGGLING STUDENTS AT EACH OF 2 STRUGGLING MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT EACH SCHOOL'S REMOTE LEARNING MODELS. COLOR CLUB IS DEDICATED TO CAREER/LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS AND ACADEMIC TUTORING AND SERVED 73 STUDENTS IN FY2020 FROM GRADES 7-9. COLOR CLUB MEETS THREE DAYS A WEEK FROM SEPTEMBER TO JUNE. STUDENTS ATTEND WEEKLY WORKSHOPS EXPLORING LIFE SKILL DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP, DESIGN CAREERS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, EDUCATION CAREERS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS, PLUS WEEKLY ACADEMIC TUTORING AND SATURDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE AT PAINTING SITES. GUEST PRESENTERS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT TRIPS AUGMENT WORKSHOP LEARNING. ONCE SCHOOLS CLOSED IN MARCH, AN IMMEDIATE PIVOT WAS MADE TO ONLINE PLATFORMS, AND SATURDAY PAINTING ENDED DUE TO LOCKDOWNS. STUDENTS CONTINUED TO ATTEND WEEKLY WORKSHOPS AND RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TUTORING SESSIONS. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT WAS ALSO PROVIDED VIA ZOOM AND GOOGLE MEET; STUDENTS MET WITH MENTORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS/CREATIVE ART THERAPISTS WERE ABLE TO WORK IN SMALL GROUPS PROVIDING STRATEGIES ON HOW TO COPE WITH COVID-19. THESE SMALL GROUP MEETINGS PROVIDED OUR YOUNG ADOLESCENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AND PROCESS CRISES AND TRAUMATIC EVENTS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH A DIGITAL SPACE IN WHICH THEY WERE ABLE TO OPENLY AND SAFELY EXPRESS CONCERNS, ENTERTAIN POSSIBILITIES AND RECEIVE PEER SUPPORT IN PROBLEM-SOLVING. THEY ALSO RECEIVED MUCH-NEEDED SUPPORT IN MANAGING STRESSORS RELATED TO FAMILIAL CHALLENGES. WITH THESE WORKSHOPS, YOUTH WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR SKILLS DIRECTLY RELATED TO COPING AND RESILIENCE, AND WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A SENSE OF EFFICACY AND MASTERY THROUGH THE CREATIVE PROCESS AS WELL AS THROUGH WORKING WITH PEERS IN A DIGITAL SPACE THAT ENCOURAGED EXPRESSION AND PROSOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.NEXT STEPS IS A COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM THAT SERVED 56 STUDENTS IN FY2020 FROM GRADES 10-12. IT ALSO MEETS THREE DAYS A WEEK FROM SEPTEMBER TO JUNE WITH PROGRAMMING PROVIDED REMOTELY IN MID-MARCH. BUILDING UPON THE COLOR CLUB MODEL, IT OFFERS WEEKLY COLLEGE AND CAREER PREP WORKSHOPS AND ACADEMIC TUTORING, PLUS SATURDAY PARTICIPATION AT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PAINT SITES (ON-SITE PAINTING WAS REQUIRED TO END IN MID-MARCH). COLLEGE PLANNING, ALIGNED WITH CAREER INTERESTS, FEATURES SAT PREP, FINANCIAL AID GUIDANCE, COLLEGE SEARCH AND APPLICATION SUPPORT, AND ONE MULTI-DAY, MULTI-CAMPUS COLLEGE TOUR. A SECOND TOUR WAS PLANNED BUT HAD TO BE CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19. INSTEAD, STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL TOURS. BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS, VOLUNTEER ADULT MENTORS ARE PAIRED WITH ALL SENIORS AND COLLEGE FRESHMEN TO HELP STUDENTS NAVIGATE THE TRANSITION TO COLLEGE. DUE TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS, ALL IN-PERSON STUDENT PROGRAMS PIVOTED TO REMOTE ONLINE PROGRAMMING BEGINNING IN MARCH 2020. STUDENT PARTICIPATION REMAINED HIGH (ABOVE 90%) FOR WORKSHOPS AND TUTORING SESSIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE WEEKLY WORKSHOPS, STAFF MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS CONTACTED EVERY STUDENT AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK TO SUPPORT EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS. STAFF DELIVERED MEALS TO STUDENT FAMILIES TWICE PER WEEK AND DELIVERED DONATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO STUDENTS WHO NEEDED THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR SCHOOLWORK. PUBLICOLOR COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ARE OFFERED TO NEXT STEPS GRADUATES IN COLLEGE AND POST-SECONDARY ACCREDITATION PROGRAMS TO HELP BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE FINANCIAL AID THEY ARE HELPED TO ACCESS AND THE FULL COST OF COLLEGE. PUBLICOLOR PROVIDED 125 COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS IN FY2020, FUNDING THEM UP TO $6,000 PER YEAR. BEGINNING IN MARCH 2020, DURING THE COVID-19 CRISIS AND CAMPUS SHUTDOWNS, PUBLICOLOR PROVIDED EMERGENCY HOUSING SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDENTS DISPLACED FROM THEIR DORMS WHO COULD NOT RETURN HOME. STAFF ALSO DELIVERED MEALS TO STUDENT FAMILIES AND OUTREACHED TO ALL SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO SUPPORT EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS.SUMMER DESIGN STUDIO IS A SEVEN-WEEK PROGRAM THAT IMMERSES STUDENTS IN MATH AND LITERACY THROUGH PRODUCT DESIGN AND WORKS TO REDUCE SUMMER LEARNING LOSS. IT SERVED 110 STUDENTS IN FY2020 IN TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS: 80 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SDS PRATT, THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM, AND 30 ENROLLED IN SDS PREP, A NEWLY OFFERED PROGRAM SERVING YOUNGER STUDENTS IN PUBLICOLOR'S OFFICE. SDS PRATT IS INTENTIONALLY HELD AT PRATT INSTITUTE SO STUDENTS EXPERIENCE BEING ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS. PUBLICOLOR STAFF WHO HAVE DEGREES IN ART, DESIGN AND EDUCATION LEAD THE PROGRAM. DESIGN WORKSHOPS INCLUDED MASTERING THE ADOBE SUITE IN COMPUTER LAB AS WELL AS HANDS-ON PRODUCT DESIGN. IN FY2020, INCOMING HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS WHO WERE ENROLLED IN THE SAT PREP COURSE REGISTERED AN INCREASE IN PRE-TO POST-DIAGNOSTIC SAT SCORES OF 31% IN MATH AND 22% IN CRITICAL READING. ALL 110 STUDENTS WERE GIVEN A PRE- AND POST-DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO MEASURE SUMMER LEARNING LOSS. THE SDS COHORT EVIDENCED NO LEARNING LOSS ON AVERAGE OVER THE COURSE OF THE SEVEN WEEKS. SDS PRATT STUDENTS SHOWED AN INCREASE IN READING SCORES OF 42% AND AN INCREASE OF 48% IN MATH SCORES BETWEEN THE PRE- AND POST-DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. SDS PREP SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 88% IN READING AND 79% IN MATH BETWEEN THE PRE- AND POST-DIAGNOSTIC TESTS.FRESH COAT IS COMPRISED OF 8 ACTIVE NEXT STEPS AND COLOR CLUB STUDENTS AND IS PUBLICOLOR'S SEMI-PROFESSIONAL PAINTING CREW. EACH YEAR PUBLICOLOR STUDENTS RECEIVE THEIR FIRST JOB EXPERIENCE THROUGH ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS. IN FY2020 THEY HELPED TRANSFORM THE 19 SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY SITES, DEEPENING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF COMMERCIAL PAINTING.VOLUNTEERS 735 VOLUNTEERS WORKED NEXT TO PUBLICOLOR STUDENTS AT PAINTING SITES AND INFORMALLY MENTOR THEM BY DESCRIBING THEIR JOBS AND THE EDUCATION, VALUES AND SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS.

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