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Client
Cornerstone Schools
Year

2021

Deliverables
  • Event and Vendor Management
  • Graphic Design
  • Program Management
  • Media Relations and PR Support
  • On-site Support
  • Video

Situation & Approach 

In October 2021, Franco’s longtime partner, Cornerstone Schools, launched and dedicated the Andrew J. Young Cornerstone Center for the Complete Life in a two-day event.

The Center, dedicated to civil rights leader and Cornerstone namesake Ambassador Andrew Young, works to prepare Cornerstone’s students to live a Complete Life through an excellent education, a foundation of strong character, meaningful relationships and real-world experiences.

When it came to planning the two-day dedication event, including a pre-launch dinner and discussion and the dedication ceremony, Cornerstone turned to Franco for coordinating and managing the entire process. Our team supported everything from vendor management, graphic design, videography, media relations, developing run-of-shows for both days and working closely with Cornerstone’s development team to engage donors and community members.

Our Work in Action

Ahead of the event, our creative team went to work developing a variety of large-scale graphics. To prepare the school to host event attendees, our in-house creative team designed and coordinated the installation of wall murals and historical timelines that will live in the school for years to come. Our team also designed and managed printing for all event collateral, including programs, invitations, signage and more.

The event gathered more than 200 attendees, including Cornerstone students, parents, teachers, Detroit business and community leaders, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian and civil rights leader Andrew Young. Franco directed and coordinated the precise timing of every piece of the event, including live streams to five Cornerstone classrooms and the reveal of a newly installed mural. Franco developed detailed run-of-show documents and worked closely with our AV vendor to ensure these crucial moments were timed and executed perfectly.

In addition to event coordination and management, Franco also supported all media relations surrounding the event. By crafting specialized pitches and leveraging our strong relationships in the Detroit media market, our outreach generated 18 pieces of coverage with over 21,000 views. Franco’s media coverage included features in Crain’s Detroit Business, FOX2 Detroit, WDIV and more.

Ultimately, the dedication event generated a $2 million dollar contribution for the new center from Cornerstone partner, Delta Air Lines. The dedication also helped nurture the school’s relationship with Ambassador Andrew Young, Cornerstone’s only living namesake, as he attended the event held in his honor.

Since the launch of the Andrew J. Young Cornerstone Center for the Complete Life, Cornerstone representatives have had the opportunity to attend the Ambassador’s 90th birthday celebration in Atlanta. The celebration included an exhibit at the Millennium Gate Museum, which displayed the Cornerstone namesake mural designed by the Franco team.