Learn how you can participate by clicking on the Get Involved link. Learn about the January workshop by clicking on the Join the Next Workshop link.

Personal Logotype Design by Kevin

Outside view of trifolio design for Hospitalito Atitlan. When folded the far right vertical third becomes the front cover, the center vertical third is the back cover, and the left vertical third folds to the inside and is revealed when the braochure is opened.

Dr. Semana Answers the Students Questions

Students Ask the Doctor and Hospital Staff Questions

After the client interview the students debriefed and began the creative process.

Jane Works With a Storyboard Comp

Mentor Cathy, Explains Project Management Concepts To Students

Mentor Eric Discusses Organizing a Shot List

Learning About the Origins of Type With Wooden Type and Block Printing

Since many Design4Kids project clients are underfunded charities unable to afford quality printing of their projects, Design4Kids has begun a fund to provide matching funds. If you’re interested in contributing to the printing fund for this and future Design4Kids workshop projects. Visit the SupportUs page on this site for full instructions.

HDR Stu leads the class in high dynamic range photography.

Since the hospital itself is an underfunded charity, and does not have funds for printed materials, for the first time in Design4Kids history, we are raising funds to cover the costs of printing the finished brochures. This will amount to  win-win-win. The students will get the real-world experience of taking a project from conception through to final production. Hospitalito Atitlan will be able to educate young mothers while conserving precious financial resources. And the community of Santiago Atitlan will benefit from the health information distributed in the brochure.

If you’re interested in contributing to the printing fund for this and future Design4Kids workshop clients. Visit the SupportUs page on this site for full instructions.

Students, Gerardo and Camilo, share a laugh while working on layout concepts for their clients brochure project during Workshop 2.

Besides being project-based learning experiences, our workshops are also a lot of fun for both students and mentors. And why not? We’re on the shores of a deep blue lake, doing creative work with talented people for a worthy cause, living at the lovely Posada de Santiago, on the outskirts of a village steeped in Mayan culture.

On the serene shores of Lake Atitlan, one can see boats that, like the local culture, are a mix of the modern and the traditional.

The village of Santiago Atitlan is so rich in Mayan tradition, that even the Catholic Cathedral acknowledges some of their religious rites in certain ceremonies. Half-way through each week-long workshop we take a little break to tour cultural high-points with a professional guide born and raised in the local customs.

Alter of the Catholic cathedral in Santiago Atitlan - photo by Evelyn Mansilla

Each workshop is unique. Each has different students, different mentors, and a different client for us to serve.  We always plan workshop content around three criteria; the needs of this set of students, the knowledge of this set of mentors, and the needs of this client’s project.

Mentor Stu, a commercial photographer from the U.S., leads the class in high dynamic range photography during Workshop 4, last June.

Soon the participating mentors for Design4Kids 6 will begin meeting via Skype to plan the content for this workshop. So if you are considering joining us, now is a good time to get on board. Begin by emailing Jeff at Design4Kids@ymail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Graphic design professional Jason Campbell teaching computer skills during Design4Kids Workshop 1.

This June our 6th Design4Kids workshop returns to Santiago Atilan where we’ll again be working with an amazingly talented group from Fotokids. If you’re an adventurous soul in search of an exceptional international travel encounter, consider joining us.  Each Design4Kids week-long event teams talented youth with seasoned professionals to work on a design project for a local charitable organization. In one short week the students meet their client, define the clients’ communication problem, create a solution, and pitch the solution to the client.

Deysi and Andres share a laugh during workshop 3

The kids get into it because they are using their creativity. More importantly though, they are learning to solve problems with critical, and creative thinking. They are learning teamwork, customer service, and the meaning of deadlines.

Bree and student practice screen printing.

Our mentors love it because they get to experience another culture through the eyes of youth, and form meaningful connections with them and their fellow travelers.  It really is a unique and meaningful experience.

Mentor Cathy, and student, Gaby learn block printing techniques during workshop 2.

We accept mentors with all sorts of professional skills, but we are especially interested in those of you with backgrounds in business, art, design, or photography. Curious to learn more? Read more about the next workshop here.

Gaby and Eric review photos from the "Amazing Foto Race" game while riding the boat back from Panjachel.

Fotokids graduate, and Design4Kis alumnus, Werner, instructs twins Danny and Denny in the use of a Nikon DSLR.

Werner Montorosso instructs young student as instructors, Stu and Eric look on.

Camilo and another student outside the Guaruma classroom.

Photographs by David Ixbalan

Guaruma Student Photo. Copyrignt Guaruma.

We ‘re pleased to be adding a workshop in Las Mangas, Honduras this January. It’s our first workshop in that location, and our first centered around photography. Professional photographers, and faithful Design4Kids mentors, will lead the educational program for this workshop. Teachers and mentors will be work with the talented students and staff of the Fotokids sister organization known as Guaruma.

The dates for the workshop are  January 16-22, 2011. Read more information about it here.

Mentors and students collaborating during a Design4Kids workshop.

One of Fotokids new programs is called The Save Girls Project. It is a three year program which addresses the lack of educational and employment opportunities for young women living in some of the poorest most violent urban slums in Guatemala City. It’s designed to reach out to high school girls who in addition to their normal schooling, study digital photography, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, studio lighting, copy writing and advertising with the goal of promoting critical thinking, creativity and giving them skills they can use to get employment in a myriad of occupations.

The first class from the project is graduating this year, and the highest achievers will participate in Design4Kids 6, June 12-18 2011, in Santiago Atitlan. The graduating students have attended earlier Design4Kids workshops, and will act as assistants to our newest group of girls from Tierra Nueva 2, one of the most dangerous gang infested barrios of Guatemala City.

Read here for more information about the workshop and how you can personally make a difference in these young womens’ lives.

Cover Design Option 3 - Photo by David Ixbalan

As a volunteer instructor it was poignant for me to see these students produce very competent design work on a project that is essentially about their own growth as artists and as people. See covers and sample page spreads from their 3 design options here: Option 1, Option 2, or Option 3.

Design4Kids Workshop 5 is scheduled for November 14th through the 20th in Santiago Atitlan. We are actively seeking graphic designers, artists, and marketing professionals to join us for an amazing experience.

First there are those who traveled to Guatemala to teach classes and mentor the students through the service project. Cathy Shea of the Hewlett Packard company taught marketing basics, and coached the Jakaramba staff through the process of establishing a marketing plan. Stu Estler of Stu Estler Photography taught classes in Seeing and Modifying Light, and HDR photography. Eric Lolkema of Eric Lolkema Fotographia, taught a very thorough overview of Adobe Lightroom. You guys were awesome, and I know you know the students appreciate all you did.

New to this workshop were the online mentors and teachers; Kitty Florido and Vanesa JuarezWorking together via the internet, one in New York State, the other in Mexico City, they prepared a class on social media and delivered it to our students in Guatemala via Skype, and managed to get through 90% of the presentation before we lost power and the internet connection. That did not stop Kitty and Vanesa though. They followed up with the students individually and got them producing content everyday of the workshop. Thanks ladies, your help was tremendous!

Also helping remotely were the online reviewers, a panel of professional designers and photographers who took the time to review the students first draft book cover designs and note their comments for improvement. This work was hugely valuable to our students. Our very warm thanks go out to Phil Borges, Rodrigo Zarco, Von Glitschka, Jacob Cass, Stephen Tiano, Neto Gonzalez, Donovan Beery, Dariela Cruz (http://folkloreye.com), Nate Voss, and Telva Mejía Tefel.

We’re also grateful to the many who donated funds, gave us rides to the airport, helped print and package Design4Kids pen cases, and generally support what we’re doing. Big shoutouts and love to Joyce McClure, Lisa Krause, Lee Hendrickson, Julie Borden, John Reynolds, John and Patty Wall, Courtney Speigner, Jennifer Geist and all our friends at Bridges to Understanding.

Thank you everyone! Without your support, these workshops would not exist.