Get a Life

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

This site, conceived to help combat Texas’ soaring high school dropout rate, advises ‘tweens and teens to let their hobbies and interests guide them toward their dream career. The site offers information about fast-growing and well-paying jobs, along with the education required for those jobs. It also helps kids look for activities, classes, volunteer work and paid employment that let them try out possible careers and gain valuable knowledge and skills.

Participation

• Created content plan and information architecture for the site
• Wrote extensive informational content geared toward the ‘tween/teen audience
• Worked with students at Bedichek Middle School in Austin to shoot Get a Life promotional video for the campaign featuring real Texas kids talking about their hopes and aspirations
• Worked at school and church events geared to promote the site to the middle school audience
• Created plans for a Middle School Advisory Board that drew from schools statewide to get kids involved as ambassadors for the program
• Created scalable marketing and outreach plan based on working with appropriate Texas businesses to further the program’s agenda and reach across the state, with careful consideration given to fit working with a high-profile political figure
• Created media buying plan that encompassed Google AdWords, print publications, mailers, movie theater and radio advertising
• Shot video interview with Chloe Dao, from Project Runway, discussing her career path, early hobbies and academic interests
• Shot video with game developer, astronaut and entrepreneur Richard Garriott, discussing his career path and early interests
• Created extended video content plan and contacted Texas figures like gymnast Nastia Liukin and race car driver Colin Braun about potential interviews for the site
• Handled all communications, project and production management for the site

Project Team

• Tami Heaton: Project management, business strategy, content strategy, copywriting, UX/information architecture, HTML/CSS development, video production, advertising & sponsorships
• Edd Patton: Design
• Robert Doyal: HTML/CSS development
• Shannon Kennedy: Flash development

Video