Jackie Mason

Jackie Mason

Green Valley High School

Class of 2020

Green Valley High School Student Body President Jackie Mason attacks everything with a strong-willed mind and a penchant for adapting to any situation. When things get sticky, she calls upon qualities she’s learned from people she admires most: patience, perseverance, determination, logic and smarts. This powerful combination helps her see seemingly insurmountable projects and assignments through to completion, while bringing on a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when the job is well done. With goals that include encouraging school pride and a sense of inclusion, continuing an impeccable athletic and academic track record, and setting a positive example for others, Jackie Mason is– A Step Above.  

G.P.A.: 4.2

Sports/Clubs/Activities:

• Varsity Competition Cheer- 2016-2018
• Varsity Swim and Dive- 2017-Present
• Varsity Track and Pole Vault- 2016-2017
• Varsity Cross Country, 2019-2020
• Madrigals Choir, 2016-2017
• Class President, 2016/2018
• Class Vice President, 2017
• Student Body President, 2019-2020
• National Charity League, 2013-Present
• Roller Skating Club Founder and President, 2018-Present

Awards/Community Service:    

• Top All-American Cheerleader, 2016-2018
• Top Scholar Athlete–GVHS Cheer, 2017-2018
• Game Day National Champion, 2018
• Silver Star Award, 2016-Present
• National Gold Star of Excellence, 2016-Present
• National Charity League, 2014-Present
• Volunteer Work, 2014-Present: Lullaby Connection, Children’s Heart Foundation, Spread the Word NV, Opportunity Village, Delmar Gardens, Three Square Food Bank, Families for Effective Autism Treatment, Operation Homefront, Joy Prom, F.E.A.T., NV Childhood Cancer Foundation, Hopelink, Boys & Girls Club Henderson, Make A Wish, Grant A Gift for Autism, Children’s Heart Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation

What are your top priorities as Student Body President? “My top priorities as SBP are to bring back a high level of spirit and pride at GVHS, maintain our NV Association of Student Council involvement and obtain the National Gold Council of Excellence Award.”

Is leadership something that comes naturally to you? “Yes. From the day I learned how to speak I always wanted to be in charge. I am an extroverted, outgoing individual who loves to serve and help others. I have just learned how to positively channel those leadership qualities.”

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of and why? “I am most proud of becoming Student Body President, due to the fact that I was not in Student Council coming into high school. I proved to myself that leadership comes from within an individual, not the amount of years of experience. I am also proud of maintaining a 4.0 throughout high school, and balancing sports along with health and activities.”

Which of your many community service endeavors has affected you the most? “NV Childhood Cancer Foundation has changed my outlook on life in a major way. I have learned to never take life or one’s capabilities for granted. There are people who would kill to merely get out of bed, and I have the ability to run, flip, and live my everyday life.”

Katilyn Grant

A Step Above 89123

Kaitlyn Grant

Silverado High School

Class of 2020

Attitude is everything for Silverado High School Student Body President Kaitlyn Grant. Positivity is, after all, at the core of all that she does, from her position as captain of the swim team to gavel-holder at the podium and everywhere in between. It’s the foundation on which she has developed her strong leadership skills, a solid work ethic, and a model for how to treat others, that is, with respect and dignity. The lessons she’s picked up on along the way have been fruitful, teaching her to adopt patience, dedication and gratefulness and apply them liberally to every endeavor and relationship. For all that and more, Kaitlyn Grant is– A Step Above.   

G.P.A.: 4.6

Sports/Clubs/Activities:

• Women’s Varsity Swim, 2016-Present
• Women’s Varsity Swim Captain, 2018-Present
• Women’s Varsity Cross Country, 2018
• Piano Lessons, 2016-2017
• Miamaid Class President, 2017-2018
• Student Body President, 2019-2020
• Student Council, 2016-Present
• Swim Teacher, 2017-Present

Awards/Community Service:

• Scholar Athlete, 2016-Present
• Varsity Letter in Women’s Swimming, 2016-Present
• Varsity Letter in Women’s Cross Country, 2018
• Young Women’s Excellence Award, 2017
• Honor Bee Award, 2018
• Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2015-Present
• Three Square Food Bank, 2016-Present
• Nevada State College Foundation, 2018-2019

What are your top priorities as Student Body President? “My top priorities as Student Body President are to promote more community service at my school and to involve more students in school activities. I want every student at Silverado High School to enjoy school and feel like they matter and know they have a purpose.”

How has being in student council enriched your educational and personal experience? “Being in student council has enriched my educational and personal experience in high school by connecting me to my student body. Knowing my classmates and teachers on a more personal level has helped me appreciate the education I am receiving.”  

Do you know what you want to do after high school? “I plan to attend Brigham Young University in the fall of 2020 and major in Economics. After receiving my BS, I plan to attend law school. I would then like to become an Estate Planning Attorney. On top of my career path, what I am most excited for after high school is to start my own family.”

What has been your favorite community service endeavor or charity to work with?

“My favorite community service endeavor is visiting Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church. Twice a year I visit this church and feed the homeless. This has changed my outlook on the community. I am more aware of the circumstances that some people are in. This helps me be more mindful of how I treat others.”

Show Us Your True Colors

We’ve seen many a logo pass by our desks here at the Zip Code Magazines, and I have to say some have been great and some… not so much. I’m no graphic designer, but I can tell you one of the biggest factors of a logo that reflects your brand feel is its color. If you’re looking to portray something bold and powerful like a restaurant known for the use of its spices, a soft blue and green logo may not do the trick. Likewise, choosing colors based on how they make consumers feel can add credibility to your brand and truly resonate with your audience… 

We found this article that does a great job of explaining how humans react to color, and they may just give you some ideas for your next brand redesign. 

89117 Magazine | September-October 2015

Your favorite Zip Code Magazine is now available online! Click here to read the issue now. 

89144 Magazine | September-October 2015

Your favorite Zip Code Magazine is now available online! Click here to read the issue now.

Do You Have an Attention Grabbing Ad Headline?

First impressions are everything. That’s why it’s so important to get the largest and most read part of your advertisement dialed in. The headline of your ad should be enough to draw the attention of a reader, whether by making them think, smile, answer or see value…basically making them STOP what they are doing to pay attention to what you have to say in the rest of your ad.

I found this article that gives some good tips on coming up with great headlines. Something I would add? A funny or culturally relevant headline (think of a play on a major TV show if it fits with your customer segment) can also be incredibly effective. Be creative and think about what would make your customer snap to attention and you’re on the right track. 

4 Types of Advertising Headlines That Get Attention
by Michele Pariza Wacek

Your headline is the most important part of any print ad. Most people will only read the headline, and the people who choose to read the entire ad will do so based on the headline. Make your ads perform better by using these four types of headlines.

Headlines are the most important part of a print ad.

In fact, David Ogilvy, famous ad man and author of Confessions of an Advertising Man, has said that four out of five people only read headlines. Nothing more.

And if people DO choose to read the rest of the ad, they make that decision based on the headline.

That’s a big job to put on the shoulders for what amounts to a few words.

But before you start despairing over your headline-writing skills, take heart. There are several “headline types” that have proven to sell products and services over and over again. Below are four of the most powerful and the easiest to implement.

1. How to. Everyone loves a how to headline. How To Quit Smoking in 30 Days Or Your Money Back. How to Write a Novel in 30 Days. How to Lose Weight Fast.

Why do these headlines work so well? Because they promise a solution to your customers’ problems. Why else do so many nonfiction books have how to in the title? If the how to is addressing a need, you feel almost compelled to pick the book up and look at it. Or, in the case of marketing materials or articles, this same natural curiosity can entice you to keep reading to discover the answer.

Keep in mind the better the benefit, the more likely you’ll catch your customers’ attention. (The benefits in the above headlines are quitting smoking, writing a novel in a month and losing weight. All of these can be powerful benefits.)

2. Question. These headlines ask a question (obviously). If you want this headline type to work, it better ask a question that your customers want an answer to. Are you spending too much on your car insurance? Will your marriage fail? Will you know what to do if you’re in an accident?

Whatever you do, don’t ask a question that only your business cares about. Something like: Do you know what our company has been up to lately? Again, focus on the benefit for the customer.

3. Top ten reasons. Okay, it doesn’t have to be ten reasons or even the top reasons. But just as everyone loves how to headlines, they also love top ten reasons.

Four headlines that work. Five ways to fix a broken toilet. Seven warning signs that your house may be making you sick.

Again, the customers see the benefits immediately. Plus, they know exactly what they’re getting — so many reasons for something.

4. Testimonial. This headline uses your customers’ words to sell your products or services. This works because people see proof up front that your product or service does what it’s supposed to do. If used correctly (meaning people believe it really is a testimonial from a real customer and not something fabricated) then this can be a very effective strategy.

If you choose this headline, put it in quotes so it’s obvious it’s a testimonial. And use the customers’ words as much as you can to make it sound authentic. Whenever possible, get permission from your customer to use his/her name. You may even want to consider adding a photo as well.

(For more headline and copywriting tips, see Robert Bly’s book The Copywriter’s Handbook.)

Creativity Exercises — Write those headlines

Get a stack of paper, find a couple of pens (I’m partial to gel colored pens) and let’s start brainstorming.

Start by making a list of all the benefits of your product, service or business. (Benefits, not features. Benefits are what your customers will get out of your product.)

Put that sheet of paper aside. Now pick a headline type and write it on top of the paper. For instance, Question headlines. Underneath start writing as many different types of question headlines you can think of. They don’t have to be pretty, they just have to be a question.

Come up with at least 50 of them. Don’t let your brain or pen stop until you do. No matter how painful. If you get stuck, go back and look at your benefits list and pick a different benefit.

I practically guarantee by the time you reach headline number 50, you’ll have written at the very least one pretty darn good headline. You might have even uncovered a brilliant one.

Try this same exercise with all the headline types and see what new ad concepts you uncover.

Fresh Branding Ideas

You know you’re good at what you do, and you think your customers know…but do they know how to talk about you? That’s where your brand comes in. How your company is perceived by others based on your story, the way your brand interacts with customers and more is an extremely important aspect of marketing and sales for any successful business. Those who do it the best have a way of distilling their company’s story into something that resonates and emotionally connects with their perfect customer. 

There are so many tools and tricks out there for “branding” that it’s sometimes easy to forget the foundation that makes a good brand so powerful… We found the article below by Liz Papagni that says it all perfectly: 

7 Fresh Ideas on How to Brand Your Business
By: Liz Papagni

Brand perception does matter. But what is more important is how you create and position that perception among your customers. Studies have shown that 75% of purchase decisions are based on emotion. The organizations that place value-over-price considerations to win hearts are usually armed with a well-defined, genuinely likeable brand. The benefits of defining your organization’s values, voice, and market placement can include increased profits, and better customer and employee retention. Here are some effective ways to begin defining your organization, or jumpstart your current branding efforts:

1. Be Authentic

A well-branded organization has the ability to be recognized, earn loyalty, and define themselves within their market. However, your efforts to brand your organization won’t get far if they’re not authentic. Don’t try to cast your brand as luxury if you serve price-sensitive customers. Avoid being too “fun” if your ideal customers tend to be more serious. You’ll struggle to deliver the right consistency across platforms if your brand persona is nothing more than a facade.

2. Build From the Inside-Out

Consumers trust their friends and families’ opinions far more than even your owned media assets. That’s why every effort to brand your business should include thought toward building a tribe, who will spread your word organically and with a healthy dose of authenticity.

In Fast Company, Mitch Baranowski recommends starting your branding efforts with the people closest to you, which will most likely be your employees, your existing supporters, and their friends. By building excitement around your message with the people who already know and love your brand, the word will spread much more quickly.

3. Define Your Archetype

While the concept of archetypes may have been defined by famed psychologist Carl Jung, the idea is nearly as old as time. Throughout fables and parables, novels and folklore, there are recognizable types of characters that pop up again and again. This tactic’s been used successfully by more major brands than you probably realize. Microsoft is the boy (or girl) next door, while Apple is the visionary. Taco Bell is a jester, while Volvo is something of a caregiver.

While a basic archetype doesn’t need to control your brand’s entire identity, figuring out where you fit into the classic narrative can significantly streamline your process of creating a compelling brand story.

4. Be Relatable

Virtually everyone knows their company should be relatable, but too few understand what that really means. As author Lewis Howes points out, the heart of the issue here is really empathy. The world’s most relatable brands have made it their mission to understand their customers problems, and focus on being the de facto solution. That’s why Nike represents athletic triumph, and Geico represents price-sensitivity. Know your buyer personas, and be their solution.

5. Market to Your Customers

If your current content marketing strategy doesn’t include outreach efforts for your existing customers, you’re losing fabulous potential. Remind your clients who you are, and how you fit into their unique lifestyle, in order to remain both top-of-mind and avoid being forgettable. Strategist Daniel Tay highlights the fact that truly epic brands aren’t built overnight, but more usually over decades with the help of consistent efforts.

6. Be Honest About What You Don’t Do Well

Regardless of what makes your brand unique, your values need to include authenticity, which is enhanced by honesty. Know what your company doesn’t do well, and focus on enhancing your strengths, instead. Successful beauty entrepreneur Ido Leffler says this very tactic is among their biggest successes to date, and it doesn’t end with focusing their marketing communications on their strengths. “When things go bad you have to be honest about the reality and do everything humanly possible to fix it.”

7. Give Back

Even if your organization doesn’t have a non-profit or humanitarian bent, engaging your community in positive and altruistic ways can be an incredible branding action. Whether you choose to donate a portion of your profits or sponsor employee-led volunteer outreach, it’s more than just good PR. Community service can enhance your customer’s perception of your brand, and improve your ability to leverage your employees as brand ambassadors. Studies by RealizedWorth have found that corporate social responsibility programs improve employee engagement and loyalty.

Looking to build your brand through advertising? Call us at (702) 877-9477 and we’ll show you how! 

89128 Magazine | July-August 2015

Your favorite Zip Code Magazine is now available online! Click here to read the issue now.

Print’s Not Dead

I’ll admit it. If you haven’t figured it out already this specific post is a little self serving, but this nasty little rumor has been going around for the last few years and I can’t shake the fact that, despite all the hype about print being “dead,” there is still plenty of new and valid research that says otherwise. Just last year, GfK Panel Services (a research company specializing in ROI studies) showed that print advertising had the highest ROI of any advertising medium. Another study from Pitney Bowes in 2014 showed 76% of small business still saying their ideal marketing mix includes both print and digital. 

Yea, yea. Of course I’d say that. So I went searching for a second opinion. I found this article that I think does a nice job of summing up the pros AND cons of print media, but ultimately comes to the conclusion that including print in your marketing mix is a wise choice… Hope you enjoy.

Is Print Advertising Still Worth It by Genesis Davies | Yahoo Small Business

89074 Magazine | June-July 2015

Your favorite Zip Code Magazine is now available online! Click here to read the issue now.