CASE STUDY: EDUCATION
Afya Baltimore
Communicating the Afya Way
Overview
Afya Baltimore is a nonprofit organization that creates and operates charter schools in the city of Baltimore. In 2019, when two Afya schools — Afya Public Charter School and Brehms Lane Public Charter School — merged into a single K-8 school, Afya sought The Hatcher Group’s help with messaging and communications to explain the merger process clearly to families and the community.
PROJECT SCOPE
Messaging & Branding
Strategic Communications
Video Production
Our Strategy
The Hatcher Group worked with Afya Baltimore to create a strategic communications plan and messaging to tell families and the community about the reasons for and the benefits of the merger between two Afya schools — Afya Public Charter School and Brehms Lane Public Charter School — into a single K-8 school, the Belair-Edison School. In addition, we produced a four-minute documentary-style video introducing prospective parents and students to the “Afya Way,” with its focus on social and emotional development and the importance of physical health. We filmed at the three Afya schools and interviewed Afya’s founders, school principals, teachers, and students to provide a complete picture of what makes Afya public charter schools unique.
Our Impact
- Our communications support helped ensure a smooth transition for the merger of two Afya schools, Afya Public Charter School and Brehms Lane Public Charter School
- Helped define and elevate Afya’s mission — “The Afya Way” — across all schools and facilities
- Used the power of storytelling to communicate Afya’s philosophy and create a unified identity for Afya’s three unique public charter schools
