PUBLICOLOR INC
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Mission Statement
Publicolor is a stay-in-school youth development program that engages disaffected students in their education 3 days a week for 4-6 years through a continuum of design-based programs that mentor them for success in school, college, career, and life. The power of color and project-based learning are fundamental to Publicolor’s approach.
About This Cause
Background and History In 1994, Ruth Lande Shuman, an award-winning industrial designer with a specialty in the psychological effects of color, was alarmed by the high dropout rates at New York City public schools. She put theory to the test at an underperforming East Harlem middle school by inviting disengaged students to paint their drab, institutional-looking school into a visually stimulating, warm, and welcoming space. As successful as the physical transformation was, the cognitive and behavioral impact seemed even more profound: here was a group of marginalized students with poor academic engagement who now had a sense of identity, accomplishment, and connection. The mission of Publicolor was born, and the organization was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization two years later. The Publicolor Continuum of Programs Across all Publicolor programs, we teach our students critical values and skills that increase self-esteem and unlock opportunities. We create a safe haven filled with positive friendships where students can develop their unique skills and interests, connect with positive role models, and learn the importance of collaboration and commitment. In Paint Club, our introductory program, students paint vibrant colors onto the walls of their own struggling schools (typically 12-20 schools each year, 1-10 weeks each, 600+ participants). The immediate result is a lasting sense of pride, community, and safety among teachers, administrators, and fellow and future students. Participants learn the marketable skill of commercial painting and strong, transferable work habits such as time management, teamwork, attention to detail, and breaking down a big job into a logical sequence of small, do-able steps. We create a community that reinforces social/emotional skills, including respect for diverse opinions, self-advocacy, open communication, accountability, gratitude, and civic engagement. In a typical year, over 1,200 corporate and community volunteers paint alongside our students, informally mentoring them on careers and the education needed to succeed. The transformation continues for a core group of students from each participating school who are then invited, by need for intervention, into our multi-year continuum of programs anchored by COLOR Club (grades 7-9, 85 students), Next Steps (grades 10-12, 85 students), and Summer Design Studio (7-week, 5 days/week program for 135 students). Students receive weekly academic tutoring, individualized college and career guidance, and life skills training for up to 6 years. On Saturdays, they revitalize neglected schools and community sites throughout NYC. Weekly workshops explore careers and life skills including health and wellness, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and design. With an excellent rate of on-time high school graduation and matriculation into college, the majority of our students continue to receive support through Publicolor Scholarships that fund the gap between the financial aid we help them access and the real cost of college. The Communities and Students We Serve Publicolor works in overlooked New York City communities of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens such as Hunts Point, Brownsville, East Harlem, and Corona. These communities struggle with the challenges of insecure housing, food insecurity, and health disparities. In districts such as Hunts Point-Longwood, 15% of enrolled students experienced homelessness in 2016-2017, and 29% of youth ages 16-24 were disconnected from both school and employment. The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly exacerbated these hardships, contributing to increased stress, anxiety, and trauma. Our 2021-2022 multi-year students identified as 64% female, 35% male, 1% prefer not to say, and 37% Black/African-American, 42% Latinx/Hispanic, 17% multi-racial, 2% Asian, and 2% White. 45% speak another language at home instead of or in addition to English; along with Spanish, these include Albanian, American Sign Language, Bengali, Haitian Creole, and various West African languages. Based on self-reported public assistance and data from each student's school, we estimate that 89% live below the poverty level. Publicolor has witnessed thousands of underperforming students reconnect with their education through our innovative design-based programs, the sense of belonging we instill, the safe environment we create, and the high expectations we set. Project-based learning appeals to many who are turned off by a traditional approach to education. By taking ownership of a large project from beginning to end, students develop the tenacity and self-confidence needed to succeed. Publicolor’s Impact There are thousands of disadvantaged and disengaged students in New York City. Our programs empower such students, making it possible for them to imagine and actualize a bright future. Every student we keep on track is a young person less likely to pass poverty onto the next generation—and that makes our work more urgent than ever. • Since 1996, Publicolor has transformed 321 schools impacting over 1.2 million students, teachers, and parents, plus 252 community facilities serving over 3 million residents. • In FY22, we 1,301 students from overlooked schools and communities through our full continuum of programs from Paint Club through college graduation. In FY19 (a typical year pre-Covid), we served 917 students. • In FY19 through FY22, 100% of our students matriculated on time to the next grade and 100% of high school seniors graduated on time. • 100% of our 2022 graduates entered college this fall vs. 60% of graduates at the high schools they attended. All 83 of our graduates attending college or an accredited post-secondary institution were offered gap scholarships from Publicolor for up to 5 years. • 89% of our 2021 college freshmen did not require remedial coursework vs. 62% of graduates from their high schools. We are proud to have been recognized twice at the White House: first in 2000 to receive the President’s Service Award for our work with volunteers in the community, and again in 2014 to receive the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.