Key Takeaways:
- e9digital designed a clean, user-focused website for Service Academy to support youth-driven social change.
- The homepage combines simplicity with engaging elements like podcasts and calls to action.
- The Framework page uses interactive design to simplify complex concepts.
Volunteer rates for high school and college students dropped sharply in 2006 with no statistically significant change since–even though the number of students entering college is at a 51-year high. This rang alarm bells for seventeen-year-old twins Ryan and Thomas Growney. The current systems in place to encourage youth service are not working, so the two of them founded Service Academy. The organization empowers community groups, youth centers, and young people across the country to accomplish more service activities that matter, helping other teens invoke social change that creates a lasting impact with their existing skills and resources.
These two changemakers have most recently worked within their own school first, launching the St. George’s Social Entrepreneurship Club, but needed a website to drive traffic to Service Academy’s initiatives, podcast, and news while keeping a streamlined, typographical design aligned with their vision.
Our partnership began through a word-of-mouth recommendation for website design, showing that the proof is in the pudding with the success of our content. With a tight budget and a wealth of content to organize, the project presented unique challenges—but e9digital was up to the task. We’ve worked with many service-based organizations, including Climate Resilience Project and Elevate Teaching.
"We loved collaborating with Service Academy on this project because it exemplifies our ability to turn content-rich sites into visually appealing and user-friendly experiences," Jordan Harriger, Creative Director | e9digital
Conversion can drop by 95% if a webpage has too many elements
Sweet and simple is the name of the game in website design. A cluttered page makes it difficult for busy community groups or youth centers to focus on the website, and then they leave without conversion.
Service Academy sent us an inspiration site that was text-heavy with few images, so we took that look and implemented our e9digital best practices. UI/UX design is vital for engagement. We contrasted a darker blue alongside white to differentiate sections and menus, making it easy for young people to skim the pages and glean valuable information.
The homepage has to be right, as it sets the tone for the rest of the website. Service Academy needed a balance of form and function, guiding visitors through key aspects of their mission. Here’s how e9digital designed it:
- A clean logo top left to orient the user on the site and help them know they’re in the right place.
- A hamburger menu top right with an animated dropdown of all interior pages
- An impactful header with clean typography and emotional language to draw in young people.
- Calls to action that invite young people to participate in initiatives, get involved, and more.
- A podcast section that offers a preview into the most recent episodes.
- An impact section that previews the organization’s philosophy to inspire youth.
- A news section that provides quick access to recent articles keeps users informed and engaged.
Creating a visual framework to showcase Service Academy’s strategies
Interior pages must match the homepage while offering a more detailed experience for interested community partners who want to dive deeper into Service Academy. The Framework page was particularly critical as it provides a step-by-step guide to using the principles of systems change leadership that Service Academy teaches.
The animated Framework Pinwheel moves in a circle as the user scrolls down the page. The animation draws a young person’s attention to the most important content, the framework the organization encourages to do service work that makes a lasting impact. Additionally, simple lines and flag motifs as bullet points guide the user in reading certain sections and maintaining branding consistency.
“Our goal was to create a site that respects the user's time and ensures critical information is easy to locate,” - Jordan Harriger, Creative Director | e9digital
e9digital crafts websites that speak to YOUR target audience
The Service Academy website is more than just a digital presence; it’s a vital tool for outreach and impact. e9digital’s thoughtful design transformed a content-heavy project into a stunning, user-centric experience that helps community organizations and youth groups grow.
If your organization needs a website that pairs modern design with helpful functionality, our website designers, copywriters, and project managers can get the job done. We create user-friendly websites that distill complex topics and generate leads. Contact us to learn more about our services today.
