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EDUCATION

Lyons Township High School

How LTHS Won National Video Awards with TruFocus Strategic Partnership

Hear What LTHS Says About Working with US

Let’s Talk Video Strategy

EDUCATION

Lyons Township High School

Hear What LTHS Says About US

How LTHS Won National Video Awards with TruFocus Strategic Partnership

Let’s Talk Video Strategy

Our approach integrated multiple video types to

maximize impact:

Student Spotlights

A student spotlight video series showcasing individual students' achievements and activities increased engagement within the school community, inspiring peers and demonstrating the diverse talents and accomplishments of the student body. This is just one example of 12 students that were highlighted.

School Construction Updates

Our video documenting the school's summer construction efforts provided students and parents with a visual update on improvements, fostering excitement and transparency about the school's development.

Rules of the School Video (Action Hero Themed)

A comprehensive video outlining school rules for incoming 8th graders transitioning to high school helped prepare students for their new environment, clarifying expectations and providing essential information to support a smooth and successful start to their high school journey.

Class Promotional Videos

Promotional videos highlighting lesser-known classes increased student awareness and enrollment in these courses, broadening academic exploration and helping students discover new interests and potential career paths.

EDUCATION

Benet Academy

We combined three different video styles to tell a full, authentic recruitment video:

CLICK TO Watch the Video

VIDEO CATEGORIES:

Testimonials | Promotional | Brand Film |

Drone Footage

Testimonial Video

We featured real students, parents, and staff sharing what makes Benet special—from connection to confidence. These voices brought depth, trust, and relatability to the message.

Brand Film

This cinematic video showed what words alone can’t—the energy of the campus, the care of the teachers, and the heart of the community. It became a cornerstone of their outreach.

Drone Footage

Aerial shots brought the campus to life, offering families a fresh perspective and giving the video a polished, immersive feel.

Let’s Talk Video Strategy

Award-Winning

Video Campaign & Strategic Partnership

The Challenge

Multiple High-Stakes Video Projects with National Award Competition Standards

Lyons Township High School, a prestigious district serving approximately 4,000 students across two campuses since the 1800s, came to us during a pivotal moment in their communications strategy. Under the leadership of Mary Lin Muscolino, Community Relations Coordinator, they needed to fundamentally transform their video storytelling approach to effectively engage their diverse community and compete at the national level.

The district faced several interconnected challenges that required more than a typical vendor relationship—they needed a true creative partner who could seamlessly integrate with their team while maintaining the highest production standards.

Complex Multi-Project Management

Simultaneous Campaign Development - Managing multiple video projects including the "Building Inclusive Community Conference," "LTHS Adaptive Learning Program," and innovative "LT Super Hero 2025" promotional series
Stakeholder Coordination - Collaborative process involving multiple administrators including Dr. Jennifer Rowe and Bridget Machalinski, each with distinct creative visions and approval requirements
Creative Evolution During Production - Projects required significant creative flexibility, with requests like "take more creative liberties and have some fun with this one" demanding innovative solutions mid-productionmatching their reputation as a world-class institution
Varied Messaging Requirements - From serious educational content (Adaptive Learning) to community engagement (Building Inclusive Community Conference) to fun promotional materials (Super Hero series)

Our Solution

Integrated Creative Partnership with Award-Winning Production Excellence

Rather than approaching LTHS as a traditional client, we developed a strategic partnership that embedded our team within their communications department. This collaborative approach allowed us to understand not just their immediate video needs, but their broader community engagement goals and brand evolution strategy.

Our solution focused on creating a seamless creative process that could adapt to their dynamic needs while maintaining the production excellence necessary for national recognition.

Strategic Multi-Project Management

Simultaneous Campaign Development - Implemented parallel production workflows that allowed us to efficiently manage multiple high-priority projects including the award-winning "Building Inclusive Community Conference," "LTHS Adaptive Learning Program," and the innovative "LT Super Hero 2025" promotional series without compromising quality or timelines
Stakeholder Coordination - Developed a streamlined communication system that effectively managed input from multiple administrators including Dr. Jennifer Rowe and the in-house PR team, ensuring each leader's distinct creative vision was captured while maintaining project cohesion and deadlines
Creative Evolution During Production - Built flexible production frameworks that could accommodate real-time creative pivots, such as when Bridget requested we "take more creative liberties and have some fun," allowing us to completely reimagine the LT Super Hero concept mid-production while maintaining budget and timeline commitments
Varied Messaging Requirements - Created a unified brand approach that seamlessly adapted across content types, from serious educational programming (Adaptive Learning) to community engagement (Building Inclusive Community Conference) to dynamic promotional materials (Super Hero series), ensuring consistent quality while meeting each project's unique messaging goals

Clearer First Impressions

Families now get a real sense of what it’s like at Benet—before they schedule a tour.

Stronger Family Connection

The video reflects the values and warmth that set Benet apart, making it easier for parents to imagine their child thriving there.

Better Recruitment Conversations

Admissions staff now use the video as a conversation starter that speaks for the school—emotionally and visually.

Brand Film &

Campus Marketing

The Challenge

Time-Critical Campus Showcase Before Major Construction

Benet Academy, a prestigious private school in Lisle, Illinois, faced a critical timing challenge in creating compelling marketing content for prospective students and families. With major construction projects scheduled to begin immediately after the school year, they had a narrow window to capture their campus at its best.

Erin Bayer, Director of Marketing & Communications, needed professional video content that would serve their ongoing marketing and recruitment efforts while preserving the pristine appearance of their facilities.

Construction Timeline Pressure - Capture campus before disruptive renovation work began
Marketing Asset Need -
Create professional content for ongoing recruitment campaigns
Budget Constraints -
Maximize production value within educational institution budget
Quality Standards -
Deliver content matching their reputation as a world-class institution

Our Solution

Strategic Multi-Project Approach with Hybrid Production Methods

TruFocus Productions developed a comprehensive video strategy that addressed both immediate needs and long-term marketing goals through multiple coordinated projects, including a brand film that showcased the school's mission and values alongside facilities documentation.

Our approach leveraged existing assets while creating new content, maximizing efficiency and budget effectiveness for the educational institution.

Hybrid Production Strategy - Combined existing drone footage with new gimbal cinematography to reduce costs
Multi-Video Deliverables - Created both brand film content and comprehensive campus tour materials
Streamlined Workflow - Deployed single production team for multiple video needs in one shoot day
Professional Review Process - Implemented Vimeo collaboration tools for efficient client feedback and revisions

Clearer First Impressions

Families now get a real sense of what it’s like at Benet—before they schedule a tour.

Stronger Family Connection

The video reflects the values and warmth that set Benet apart, making it easier for parents to imagine their child thriving there.

Better Recruitment Conversations

Admissions staff now use the video as a conversation starter that speaks for the school—emotionally and visually.

The Result

National Recognition and Community Engagement Excellence

Our partnership with LTHS has delivered exceptional results that extend far beyond individual video projects, establishing them as a leader in educational communications and significantly enhancing their community engagement.

Community Impact and Engagement

Measurable Community Interaction

Shows concrete engagement metrics and positive community feedback that marketing teams can use to prove ROI

Board-Level Recognition

Demonstrates crucial stakeholder buy-in at the highest institutional level

Enhanced District Reputation

Shows broader institutional impact that helps with enrollment and competitive positioning

The Result

The video made families feel connectedbefore they ever stepped on campus

Clearer First Impressions

Families now get a real sense of what it’s like at Benet—before they schedule a tour.

Stronger Family Connection

The video reflects the values and warmth that set Benet apart, making it easier for parents to imagine their child thriving there.

Better Recruitment Conversations

Admissions staff now use the video as a conversation starter that speaks for the school—emotionally and visually.

RELAX. YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY

"TruFocus is that secret you don't want to share"

TruFocus has been instrumental in that process and really helping us reach those goals. The quality of the work, everything they do is just exceptional.

- Mary Lin Muscolino

Community Relations Coordinator, Lyons Township

WANT results like THIS?

Let’s Make Your School Stand Out

You don’t need dozens of videos—you need the right partner. One who can craft the kind of story that makes your community feel connected, confident, and eager to engage.