Problem: Texas schools have conducted fire prevention education programs, including regular fire exit drills, since the 1930s. However, by the last 1980s, fewer than 10 percent of the school campus reported their activities to the State Fire Marshal's Office as recommended by state law. The lack of reporting affected local fire insurance rates and raised questions about the effectiveness of fire prevention education.

Solution: My department first worked with the regulatory board to clarify requirements. I then converted complicated forms into simple three-fold brochures and created developmentally appropriate brochures, curriculum guides and other materials. Within five years, more than 60 percent of Texas school campuses reported compliance with state-recommended fire prevention education.

Continue reading to see samples of the program brochures distributed to school principals. Read more >

Problem: About two months before the end of my daughter's 7th grade year, the volunteer committee responsible for producing the school yearbook asked for help. They had sold some advertising and gathered photographs. But they did not enough to pay for printing with the traditional yearbook company. The students weren't going to have a yearbook that year!

Solution: I volunteered to put together a yearbook using the budget and photographs they had. Within three weeks ... and with help from another parent who wrote captions ... I had scanned more than 400 photographs, designed 64 two-color layouts and created 49 advertisements. I negotiated a deal with a local printing company that produced the magazine for a former employer, and we printed 300 saddle-stitched yearbooks within our limited budget. The yearbooks were delivered in time for the 8th-grade graduation celebration.

Continue reading to see samples from one of my favorite projects. Read more >