Did Someone Say Party?

So much has happened since my last post. I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to do any updates, but I thought I would now as a way to sort everything out....though there's no way I'll cover everything now. Let's see, my last post was when I decided to contact local advertisers, since I was having difficulty getting a grant or a major sponsor. This turned out to be a great thing. I love being in touch with the small businesses in the community, and I hope this is one way to help them, as they are helping support us. I've gotten enough advertisers to print the magazine; and speaking of printing that has changed as well.

I'm no longer with the printer I thought I'd be with, and I'm working in a new format: newsprint. a larger page size. and color. The Chicago Tribune directed me to their Freedom Center Press, who introduced me to Litho Type in Lansing. They've been wonderful. I've sent them a few proofs to make sure we're "on the same page," and they've been helping me with the format. The deadline is Friday December 9, and I'm hoping to get it to them before then, so there is room for revisions if need be. I'm pretty much done with everything but the letter from me page and a few ads....oh, and the word search. I like to put those in since I like doing them myself so much. I think the kids will like it too.

Another component is the online version. That will include everything from the printed version, along with additional pages that didn't make it due to space constraints. I've designed those pages, but I still need to proof them. Then I have to work on the web site, to make sure it's up and running by the time of the Launch Party.

Did someone say Party? Yes, I'm planning a Launch Party/Fundraiser to be held at Chicago's Pizza, one of our advertisers. I've invited Blanca Paloma (founder of Children of Color) along as well. She'll be showing her [award-winning] film and photographing the children. There will also be a raffle for a bike helmet from On the Route Bicycles and a book from You're In It Stories. And I'm going to get posters made up to give away. I'm hoping for a real good time with some great people.

So, I've been busy with the layout, ads, planning the party....and trying to get the word out about it all. OK, that's it for now....time to get back to work. 

Trying

It's been a trying few weeks for me. I have not been able to secure a sponsor for the magazine, and I have been unsuccessful in getting a grant to fund it. I was down, but only for a moment. It actually made me even more determined to find a way to make StudensXpress a success.

I did, however, meet with a great company, InnerWorkings. They took a look at my past issues, and they are coming up with some quotes for me, which I should get tomorrow. They are well aware of my lack of funds, and they're doing what they can to get me the lowest price. I'm hoping for some good news tomorrow. Then I can move on from there.

Moving on means recontacting my advertisers and (hopefully) letting them know I can now offer them an ad at a lower price. I met with my friend Maureen last week, and she suggested a sponsor page that has logos of companies that donate to the cause (for less than it costs to place an ad). So I'll be offering that, along with ads (which will include a logo on the donor page as well). I also have to make contact with the schools again. It's been a long time since I checked in, and it never hurts to remind them of the deadline.

I feel like I can do all this once I know for sure what the printing costs will be, and what that will get me as the final product. I'm hoping to print a reasonably-priced magazine, so I'll do what it takes, like make the page count lower. Then I'll still have all of the "overflow" available on the digital version. As always, I'm just anxious and excited for the next step.

Introducing.....for today anyway

I haven't heard anything from CPS yet, but I decided to go ahead and start working on a new logo. I worked on CS-xpress for a while yesterday. This evening, as I was talking to my husband, he suggested I stay away from the letters and do something like "StudentsXpress." I like it. I'm working on that logo now. It will have no mention of Chicago Public Schools, so it should be fine.

It's All in the Name

Over the summer I e-mailed Jean-Claude Brizzard, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, to show him the magazine and get his feedback. He liked it and asked if there was anything he could do to assist me. I asked that he put me in touch with someone from CPS who could talk to me about the magazine.

On July 13, I went downtown to the CPS headquarters and met with two women. I showed them the magazines I have done in the past and explained what I was doing and where I planned to go with it. They were very nice and helpful. Though they couldn't assist me directly, they gave me some good ideas of which directions to try. This was mostly about funding. I know there are no extra funds in CPS, and that is one of the benefits of the magazine. Once it is funded (by advertisers or what have you), it is a free publication for the students.

At the end of the meeting, I was told that the name "CPSxpress" might be a problem, which I understood. They were worried that, with that name and only a limited number of schools involved, those that are not involved might feel excluded. That cannot be associated with CPS. So, they were going to run it by "legal."

Now I'm in the process of getting everything ready for the first issue this year, and that includes social media, a web site, this blog.... I e-mailed my CPS contacts to let them know and ask what has been decided about the name. They have still not heard from the Board, and without written permission, I cannot use CPS in the title or in subhead (Connecting Chicago Public Schools through words and art). It was also mentioned that I might not even be able to mention individual schools by name. I'm not sure about this last one, since I feel like the schools can do what they want with individuals and outside companies, but I might be wrong about that.

Hopefully I will speak with someone today. I really believe in this project, and I hope to move forward. My son came up with the title "NSxpress" (meaning North/South xpress), and I like that. I also like CKxpress (Chicago Kids), CYxpress (Chicago Youth) and CSxpress (Chicago Students). Perhaps this last one is the best, since it is the closest to CPS, which I have been using. The tagline could read: Connecting Chicago Students from the North to the South Sides...or something like that.

I'm happy to go in a different direction. I'm just ready to start moving.

The Waiting Game

Just as I had to wait when I first started CPSxpress two years ago, I once again am in the waiting mode. A lot of changes have taken place with CPSxpress, and I have not been keeping up with this blog at all. I hope to change all that. Though I'm not going to fill in all the holes right now, I will post about where I am at the moment. Waiting. Wondering if I will get a sponsor (I have tried many companies, received many rejections, and am waiting to hear from a few) or a grant (I've applied for a few and am still waiting).

Last year we printed one black-and-white issue, and then as funding was running low, I decided to do an online-only version, with the option to purchase a printed copy. This was great since the issue was done in color, and I didn't have to worry about limiting the page count.

This year, we have added five new schools to the mix. Many of the students on the south side do not have access to computers and would benefit more to a printed version of the magazine. And, from my experience, parents, teachers and students from anywhere prefer the printed version over the digital format. This year I hope to offer both, with maybe an extended magazine online.

Ideally, I would love to have the funding come through and have a color, printed magazine. If it does not come through, a digital version might be all I can offer. Like I said, I'm just waiting to find out in which direction I will be taking this next. Whatever the case, I am so excited to move forward!

I truly believe in this project, and I think it would be a wonderful opportunity for a sponsor to help cover the costs of printing and production. CPSxpress will only get bigger, and it has a lot to offer a company that is ready to help us out financially.

I will check in when I know more, or if I feel like blogging about some of the things that have happened over the last year to get us where we are now.