By Jake Fishbein - Co-founder and CEO
Highlighter is a team of just a few parents working late nights, early mornings, and weekends to build an AI-powered special education advocacy platform. That’s a tough job on its own. But building the software isn’t enough. As we prepare for our September launch, we're facing a familiar startup challenge: getting the word out with limited resources.
We don't have deep pockets or a big sponsor. What we do have is a passionate commitment to our mission and a belief that there's a better way to introduce ourselves to the world.
A Big, Bold Decision
With our September launch approaching, we faced an important decision: how to allocate our modest budget. The conventional startup playbook would suggest pouring money into social media ads, flashy marketing campaigns, or other traditional promotional tactics. But we're not about convention. We're about impact.
That's why we've chosen to invest a significant portion of our budget (pretty much all of it) into The Big, Bold Back-to-School Challenge – a $5,000 prize for a public school-based parent/family organization in DC, MD, or VA. Here's how it works:
Folks go to our website and vote
The school with the most votes wins
We write a check for $5000
As simple as it might seem, this means a lot to us. The challenge embodies our belief that empowered families are crucial for improving our kids' educational outcomes. It's our way of celebrating those already doing this important work—starting right in our backyard.
Community Matters
Highlighter was born from our own struggles navigating the special education system. We're building an AI-powered platform that simplifies the special education journey, providing personalized guidance and proactive support based on federal and state laws. But technology alone isn't enough. We know that real change happens when communities come together, families feel supported, and schools have the resources to serve every student.
The Back-to-School Challenge isn't just about getting our name out there. It's about:
Directly supporting the grassroots organizations that share our purpose
Fostering engagement within and across communities
Celebrating the critical role of family involvement in education
Taking Risks, Staying True
As a startup, every dollar matters. Investing a substantial part of our budget into this challenge is a risk – but it's one we are willing to take. We're not here to be just another ed-tech company. We're here to challenge the status quo and push for meaningful change in how we support children with learning disabilities and their families.
You Have the Power to Help
We're a tiny startup with a big mission, and we need your help to make a real difference. Here are a few of the small things that can make a big impact:
Share the Challenge: Tell your friends, family, and social networks about The Big, Bold Back-to-School Challenge. Every vote counts and could mean $5000 for a deserving school community.
Amplify Our Mission: Help us reach more families who could benefit from Highlighter. Share our story and why you believe in what we're doing.
Connect Us: Know any parent groups, educators, or organizations passionate about special education? Introduce us! We're always looking to collaborate with those who share our vision.
Every share, every conversation, and every connection brings us one step closer to empowering all families navigating the special education journey. Together, we can light the way for a brighter, more inclusive educational future.
Looking Ahead
The engagement we've seen with the Back-to-School Challenge has been inspiring. In about two weeks, we've received votes for more than 200 different schools and had over 2,000 individuals visit our site to vote, with hundreds of new visitors daily. It's a testament to the passion and dedication of our family organizations and schools. But it's just the beginning. Highlighter will keep breaking the status quo, standing up for families, and striving to create a world where every kid gets the education they deserve.
Kommentare