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Proudly serving the education community in the Louisville metro area, Class Act exists to provide financial assistance to teachers and other school employees. Member-owned, financially insured, and not-for-profit, they offer banking at better rates. Hatfield Media was happy to be sought out by Class Act  to produce a new video highlighting their Heroes of Education program as well as to design and develop the program’s new website.

BACK TO THE BASICS

Founded in 1954 by JCPS educators to serve the financial needs of the local education community, Class Act initially started out in an administration building under the alias ‘Classroom Teachers.’ Prior to moving to Poplar, they operated out of what became known as a ‘broom closet’ in Seneca High School. Growing with educators in the area, Class Act came to include parents and students before eventually expanding to serve the surrounding counties. In 1994, they expanded to include the University of Louisville by way of the Student and Alumni Credit Union, simultaneously becoming ‘Class Act FCU.’ A not-for-profit entity existing first and foremost to serve the education community, Class Act is able to provide on-average better interest and savings rates to their members, the owners of the credit union. With a vision to be their member’s first choice for a lifetime of financial services, members benefit from higher returns on their savings, lower rates on loans, and fewer account fees. 

Building relationships through integrity, compassion, and respect, Class Act’s credit union membership takes an active role in education initiatives throughout the community. Offering financial literacy resources both in and outside of the classroom through its sponsors and volunteers, Class Act grows its membership and services while assisting schools with their needs. A platform for schools to fundraise, the Heroes of Education website shares their story while engaging with their credit union. When Class Act succeeds, the education community benefits through thousands of dollars in donations, resources, and savings in financial products.

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A CLASS ALL THEIR OWN

Displaying how much Class Act values education and teachers through the images and text, the Heroes of Education website promotes the program by providing exposure to their brand through the schools. “Not only does it fit the overall aesthetic, the images that were chosen for the new design really convey the idea that you can be part of the team,” says Hatfield BackEnd Developer, Mark Russ. “When you join Class Act, you can be a hero for education, too.” Following best web design practices, along with having developers experienced in accessibility, and talented people who specialize in SEO and marketing, Class Act’s site provides the same great experience across multiple devices while reaching the largest audiences. “Analyzing everything from the readability of fonts and page load times, to the screen-reader interactions for people who are visually impaired, we pay attention to so many details to ensure that the site is as user-friendly and accessible as we can make it,” says Mark.

Working to ensure the site was optimized for all devices and screen sizes, one of the primary goals of Hatfield Media was to build a user-friendly interface in order for visitors to be able to vote for the school of their choice. “In my opinion, the most important feature is the ‘Vote for School’ feature which includes a pop-up when someone visits the school page, including simple directions on how to vote,” says Hatfield Media Backend Developer, Nathan Klein. “The different voting options allow Class Act a clean way of acquiring leads with whom they can market their product.” The SMS text-voting system associates each mobile number with the specific school the user voted for. “Class Act is member-owned, not-for-profit, and actively works to give back to the community. Their interests align well with the members that they work with. I believe that they have a profoundly positive impact on the future of young adults who need credit, and the youth who go to the schools that Class Act supports,” says Mark. “David and Ryan were always great to work with. They knew exactly how they wanted the website to function and were always very efficient with getting us everything we needed on time. I love how this website turned out!” says Hatfield Media Account Representative, Kayla Coursey. 

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Showcasing the Heroes of Education program through video production, the Hatfield Video team used footage and photos provided by Class Act to highlight their history and involvement in the community, particularly in support of education. “My goal was to take these separate images and turn them into a cohesive whole that conveyed their love for their community,” says Hatfield Media Videographer, Robbie Myers. One of his favorite moments in the video is when the music hits a crescendo just as old classroom footage of the teachers comes onto the screen, emphasizing the importance of educators. “Class Act helps to raise funds for educators, which is one of the most direct ways an organization can impact the future. Investment in the future generation is investment in the future.” The video promotes Class Act by hearkening back to their earlier days, establishing them as an integral part of the community. “David and Ryan were very collaborative throughout the whole process,” said Hatfield Media videographer, Robbie Myers. “They were eager to try new things, and could get behind our ideas. It's always a pleasure to work with someone like that!”  

MAKING THE GRADE

Meant to help schools raise money, the concept behind the Heroes of Education website is nothing new, although the vehicle used to make it happen looks drastically different. Gone are the good ‘ol days of driving around in a Winnebago collecting teachers’ signatures on an annual basis. Class Act’s new website meets members where they are, connecting with them and giving them the ability to constantly fundraise and engage with the credit union in an effort to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars for schools.

Originating in the form of a blog in 2017, the Heroes of Education program was named after its members. Everything Class Act does serves the education community. Different because their community is different, the Heroes of Education program gives people more value. Class Act is different from other banks because they talk about something bigger than themselves. They answer the question ‘Why should I bank with you?’ in an impactful way: Class Act doesn’t grow if the surrounding schools aren’t growing.

The primary objective of the website was to engage with Class Act’s members to help schools fundraise through the Heroes of Education program. The program asks you to join a community that helps support schools, in turn helping its members save money on their car loans or mortgages, which feed right back into the schools they work at, or where their kids attend. Engaging its audience through instant automation, the website is individualized, as well as easy to understand and follow. “If the points go in, I can see immediately where we are at, at any given moment,” says Class Act’s Marketing Director, David Padron. “When the design came back and we asked about the thought process behind the design, Hatfield Graphic Designer, Kaen Blevins, started listing things off. You could tell that he had put a lot of thought into the design,” said Ryan Olexa, Class Act’s Marketing & Sales Analyst. “When you get to a page, everything pops up right in front of you and the user can interact with it. I like the way the individual schools are structured and can be personalized.” 

Focusing on the employees of Class Act, the commercial highlights the heroes of the credit union, matching the theme and capturing the target audience’s attention. “We love that when we gave Hatfield’s video crew the main concept, they became part of our team, jumping in and giving us ideas and suggestions,” said David.

HEROES OF EDUCATION

When you become a member at Class Act Federal Credit Union, you are joining in the mission of the Heroes of Education program. Established by Class Act in 2017 to highlight the passion, drive, and knowledge of educators, the program was named after the people who dedicate their lives to the education of children and Class Act’s members. Every financial product and digital engagement through the website contributes thousands of dollars in Heroes Grants awarded to schools, which are used for anything ranging from recess equipment to enhancements of technology in the classroom. 

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