“You can buy attention, but you can’t buy trust. You can buy attention with billboards, you can buy attention with radio ads, but you can’t buy trust. Trust is earned through storytelling.”
That was the message heard during Sara Mooney, chief communications and development officer, and Kerri Barrett, principal at West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science, and Becky Carlton and Grace Noyola from the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) presentation on digital communications and storytelling at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Conference in Las Vegas as well as the Michigan Charter School Symposium on December 11 in Troy, MI.
The session empowered participants to change the narrative of their charter school through digital communication strategies, resulting in positive student enrollment, increased teacher retention and public support.
One of the participants shared that they were excited to learn about strategies to create a buzz about their school.
Another participant noted that they enjoyed learning about creating key messaging to help promote their charter school.
The first time they presented was at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools’ annual conference in front of more than 100 people in July 2019 in Las Vegas. Participants were engaged in the conversation and excited about the material presented, so much that the presentation was selected as one of the top 5 programs! 
Most recently, the team presented at the Michigan Charter School Symposium. There were more than 40 people in attendance who stated they now feel prepared to better tell their school’s story.
We are so proud of Sara Mooney and Kerri Barrett.