GEAR UP 4 LA
Gear Up 4 LA is a college readiness program dedicated to guiding underserved students in Los Angeles toward academic success and post-secondary opportunities.
We redesigned the new Gear Up 4 LA logo to convey a strong, aspirational message through its clean, modern design. The graduation cap integrated the letter “G” to symbolize academic achievement and future success, along with bold modern typography to appeal to the high school students the organization serves. The new color palette reflects both professionalism and energy, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to empowering students. The tagline, “Building Powerful Futures,” is strategically placed to highlight the program’s focus on education and growth, making the logo a clear representation of its mission to inspire and support students on their journey to success.
Empowering Students Through a Dynamic WordPress Platform
This is the second iteration of a WordPress website that we designed for the organization. It serves as a central hub for students, families, and educators, providing resources, event information, and program updates in an engaging and accessible way.
Design Approach
Our goal was to design a site that mirrored Gear Up 4 LA’s mission of empowerment and opportunity. We drew inspiration from the logo re-design, incorporating the bold navy and orange color palette to convey trust and energy. The design emphasizes clarity and navigation simplicity, ensuring all users—students, parents, and educators—can easily find the information they need.
We utilized a clean, grid-based layout with strategic use of white space to maintain a modern, professional feel. Eye-catching banners and vibrant imagery highlight success stories and upcoming events, creating a visually engaging experience.
Key Features
- Resource Library:
We developed a comprehensive resource library that categorizes tools and documents by user type (students, families, educators). This section includes downloadable guides, college prep checklists, and scholarship opportunities, all easily searchable and filterable. - Event Calendar:
A dynamic events calendar allows visitors to explore upcoming workshops, college fairs, and parent meetings. Users can filter events by category and add them directly to their personal calendars with a single click. - Success Stories & Testimonials:
To inspire and motivate, we created a dedicated page for student success stories. This section features quotes, images, and videos that showcase real-life achievements, fostering a sense of community and possibility. - Multi-Language Support:
Recognizing the diverse community GearUp4LA serves, we integrated multi-language support, enabling visitors to switch between English and Spanish seamlessly. - Blog & Updates:
A regularly updated blog keeps users informed about program news, educational tips, and community highlights. We also included a subscription feature, allowing visitors to sign up for newsletters and updates. - Accessibility Features:
To ensure inclusivity, the site meets WCAG guidelines, with features like keyboard navigation, alt-text for images, and scalable text options.
Development Process
We built the site on WordPress using a custom theme tailored to Gear Up 4 LA’s needs. The backend is designed for easy content management, enabling the organization’s team to update events, add new resources, and post blog articles without technical expertise.
Performance optimization was a priority, so we implemented caching, image compression, and lazy loading to ensure fast load times. The site is also fully responsive, providing a seamless experience on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
Challenges & Solutions
One of the challenges was balancing a robust content offering with a streamlined user experience. We tackled this by organizing content into intuitive categories and using breadcrumb navigation to help users stay oriented. Additionally, we conducted user testing with students and parents to refine the layout and ensure ease of use.
The GearUp4LA website is more than just an information portal—it’s a digital resource that empowers its users and strengthens the program’s mission. By combining thoughtful design with robust functionality, we created a platform that supports students on their path to success, building powerful futures, one click at a time.