By integrating classroom study with community engagement, Columbus Bishop Ready High School’s advertising design class is giving students hands-on experience in the field of communications while deepening their understanding of service and ministry.
In this unique course, taught by Mr. Rob Wahl, students learn foundational concepts in advertising, branding and visual communication across a variety of contexts including corporations, schools, nonprofits and religious organizations. Students also explore how to develop their own personal brand, a skill that is increasingly important in today’s digital and professional world.
Recently, the class visited the Mid-Ohio Food Collective to see these principles in action. The Collective is the largest hunger-relief organization in Ohio, partnering with more than 600 local agencies to distribute millions of pounds of nutritious food and provide support services to families across central and eastern Ohio.
During the visit, students learned about the organization’s rebranding effort, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff members shared how the rebrand helped clarify the Collective’s expanded mission not only as a food bank but as a leader in addressing food insecurity through innovation, education and community outreach.
Students observed how core elements of branding, from visual identity to messaging, play a vital role in communicating the organization’s values and maintaining engagement with donors, volunteers, board members and partner agencies. A key takeaway was the importance of patience in the creative process. Effective branding does not happen overnight and requires collaboration, trust and buy-in from many stakeholders.
The group was also struck by the scale of the facility and the scope of the work being done there. Many students were surprised by the size of the operation and moved by how the Collective consistently “does more with less” to serve neighbors in need.
The experience reinforced how creativity and communication can be powerful tools for good. Students reflected on how being open to the creative process allows individuals to use their God-given gifts in service to others, lessons that translate not only to professional settings but to personal life and faith as well.
For Bishop Ready students, the visit offered a meaningful example of how skills learned in the classroom can support organizations that live out Catholic social teaching and make a lasting impact in the community.