A compilation of writing samples and accomplishments

By: Jenna Engstrom

My Public Relations Portfolio

An Introduction to Who I Am

My name is Jenna Engstrom, and I am a graduating senior from Saint Louis University majoring in Communication. I have always had a passion for writing and a desire to incorporate my writing ability into a career, and over the course of my education at SLU I discovered that public relations was a perfect fit for me. My public relations classes and PR internship with the Saint Louis Science Center showed me what it takes to be a modern PR professional, a job that requires a great deal of adaptability and ambition as the trends shift with the times. I am graduating in the midst of an exciting technological era, and I’m ready to jump headfirst into a career in public relations. In this new age of social media, I will be an asset to any company because of my comfort level with the internet and its vast array of possibilities. I hope the following presentation of my accomplishments will give you a better idea of who I am as a person, a writer and a creative thinker, and why I have what it takes to be a part of your team.

Create-A-Company Project

For my “Writing for Public Relations” course, one of my assignments was to create a company and write a strategy brief, press releases, and an advertising message strategy and ad for the new company. My partner and I came up with the idea for the Chameleon Kicks Company, a company that manufactures environmentally friendly shoes that change color with changes in temperature. We researched information on safe color-changing dyes that we could use in our shoes and developed ways that we could cut back on our carbon footprint by using recycled materials. We developed a strategy that included educating children about the environment through our interactive Web site where they could design their own shoes while playing games and reading fun facts about the environment. The create-a-company assignment was a semester long project, and this portfolio exhibits some of the work I put into the project throughout the semester.

Jenna EngstromWriting for Public RelationsProfessor FinkelStrategy Brief for Chameleon KicksDecember 10, 2009

Why are we developing communications in the first place?~To promote an eco-friendly product to children and their parents. This product will be targeted towards children six to thirteen from all over the Midwest. ~To communicate to other stakeholders that we are a strong upcoming company with a strong product that will resonate with the public.

What is the current situation (situation analysis)? Chameleon Kicks Co. is a new company based in St. Louis. The company creates children’s shoes out of recycled canvas to appeal to the environmentally savvy population. Our creative edge that we applied to these shoes is the color changing ink that reacts to weather conditions. We are currently employing 100 factory workers in our warehouse in St. Louis. The distribution of the shoes has not yet begun. Chameleon kicks competitors consist of other shoes that are aimed towards children such as Sketchers light-up shoes, Converse sneakers, Stride Rite sneakers, and Favorite Character’s light-up shoes. The mood ring that was invented in the 1960’s is still being worn today. Many different companies have used the idea of the mood ring in their products. The thermotropic dyes and crystals are used in bathroom tiles, car paints, and

clothing. Chameleon Kicks is confident that children will embrace the shoe for many years and continue to wear it in the future.

What are we trying to accomplish? As a brand new business, Chameleon Kicks Co. wants to focus on the promotion to our target audience which consists of children and young parents. Chameleon Kicks Co. strives to promote environmental awareness at a young age in a fun and unique way.

What is one specific, narrow problem/issue we can solve/address with a communication effort?A problem with Chameleon Kicks is that the public is not convinced that the dyes used in our shoes are safe for their children and safe for the environment. We will address this problem by using a number of communication means to show the public that ew have done extensive research and there are no harmful effects from the color-changing dye we have used. On our Web site we will have a section dedicated to explaining how our leuco dyes work to show that there are no harmful toxins involved. Thermodynamic (color-change with temperature) leuco dyes are already used on a number of items such as thermometers and food and beverage labels as well as coffee mugs and children’s toys. Other than our Web site, we will advertise the safety of this product in our advertising, press releases, social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and online blogs and news stories.

Who are we trying to reach?

The Chameleon Kicks Co. market consists of young children, adolescents, and their parents. The Plant is based in St. Louis so we will be marketing primarily to the Midwest in the beginning.

What do we know about them that will help us?

Chameleon Kicks are an environmentally conscious shoe that will appeal to the “eco” savvy consumer. Since “going green” is the trend, young parents will want a product that not only appeals to their environmental interests, but also are unique and exciting for their children. Also, the dye used in our product has been proven to be 100% safe.

What is the one main idea we need to communicate?

Chameleon Kicks Co. uses a unique approach to educate children about the environment; these kicks make it possible for children to express themselves in a fun way while caring for the environment.

Why should they believe us?

As a new company, we plan to team up with environmentally conscious businesses such as the Missouri Botanical Gardens. This will give us credibility with the St. Louis community. In order to reach out to the rest of the Midwest we plan to get involved with other well-known businesses. The research we have provided on our Web site also gives credibility to our statement that our product is completely safe.

What are some ways we could plant that idea?

~ Publicize studies that have been conducted showing public interest in the environment.

~ Create an interactive Web site that has links leading to environmental Web sites and gives the option of creating your own shoes.

~ Advertise Chameleon Kicks via commercials during children’s programming such as PBS.

Traditional Press Release

Jenna Engstrom

Writing for Public Relations

Professor Finkel

December 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jenna Engstrom 309/737-5650 Jengstro@slu.edu

CHAMELEON KICKS IN GEAR TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

NEW COLOR-CHANGING SHOE TO BE LAUNCHED ONLINE

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 1, 2009 — Chameleon Kicks Co. will launch its new eco-friendly, color changing shoe line on its Web site Saturday, October 17. The interactive Web site allows individuals to design their own shoes with images that will appear and disappear with changes in temperature.

“Chameleon Kicks Co. has given us a unique opportunity to re-energize the public about the environment through an interactive green shoe,” said CEO Michelle Lewis. “We are proud to introduce our new product and confident that it will revolutionize the way people look at footwear.”

Made out of recycled canvas with recycled rubber soles, this eco-friendly product strives to be a reminder that everyone has a responsibility to future generations. The images that appear on shoes in temperature-sensitive color-changing ink will include classic environmental symbols such as plants, animals and other representations of nature.The Chameleon Kicks Web site will include interactive eco-games for children as well as fun facts about the environment. Other tabs will include a fact page on how the color changing leuco dyes work as well as simple ways that we can keep our Earth green. There will also be a link to a page that explains the process of how the color changing dyes work. Chameleon Kicks Co. has done extensive research to make sure that its leuco dyes are 100% environmentally friendly and do not use any harmful chemicals.

Lewis said that the goal of the company is to distribute a product that is not only innovative and exciting for children, but also serves as a tool for teaching them about the impact they can have on the world around them from a young age. On the inside of every shoebox there will be a different fact about the environment including geographical facts about how global climate change affects other parts of the world. As kids learn to navigate the newly launched Web site, they will learn about the ecosystem along the way.

Chameleon Kicks shoes are made in the U.S. with the primary warehouse based in St. Louis. Shoes will be sold in limited shoe stores located in Missouri, Illinois and various locations throughout the Midwest starting November 1. Prior to the official in-store release date, Chameleon Kicks shoes will be sold online at www.chameleonkicks.com.

# # #

SEO Version of Press Release

Jenna Engstrom

Writing for Public Relations

Professor Finkel

December 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jenna Engstrom 309/737-5650 Jengstro@slu.edu

GREEN SHOES WITH A COLOR CHANGING TWIST SOON TO HIT THE MARKET

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY “CHAMELEON KICKS” TO BE LAUNCHED ONLINE

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 1, 2009 — Chameleon Kicks Co. will launch its new eco-friendly, color changing shoe line on its Web site Saturday, October 17. The interactive Web site allows individuals to design their own green shoes with images that will appear and disappear with changes in temperature.

“Chameleon Kicks Co. has given us a unique opportunity to re-energize the public about the environment through an interactive green shoe,” said CEO Michelle Lewis. “We are proud to introduce our new product, and we’re confident that it will revolutionize the way people look at footwear.”

Made out of all recycled material, this eco-friendly product strives to be a reminder that everyone has a responsibility to future generations. The images that appear on shoes in temperature-sensitive color-changing ink will include classic environmental symbols such as plants, animals and other representations of nature.The Chameleon Kicks Web site will include interactive eco-games for children as well as fun facts about the environment. Other tabs will include a fact page on how the color changing leuco dyes work as well as simple ways that we can keep our Earth green. There will also be a link to a page that explains the process of how the color changing dyes work. Chameleon Kicks Co. has done extensive research to make sure that its leuco dyes are 100% eco-friendly and do not use any harmful chemicals.

Lewis said that the goal of the company is to distribute a product that is not only innovative and exciting for children, but also serves as a tool for teaching them about the impact they can have on the world around them from a young age. On the inside of every shoebox there will be a different fact about the environment including geographical facts about how global climate change affects other parts of the world. As kids learn to navigate the newly launched Web site, they will learn about the ecosystem along the way.

Chameleon Kicks are made in the U.S. with the primary warehouse based in St. Louis. Shoes will be sold in limited shoe stores located in Missouri, Illinois and various locations throughout the Midwest starting November 1. Prior to the official in-store release date, these green shoes will be sold online at www.chameleonkicks.com.# # #

Feature Article

Learning Upstream

I had never seen a stop sign wrapped with teddy bears and decorated with ribbons before coming to St. Louis. The image will haunt me forever. My freshman year at Saint Louis University I decided on a whim to get involved with a tutoring program for inner city kids. It was just another community service activity to add to my resume…until I saw my first teddy bear stop sign. And then another, and another. We were driving into the North Side, a part of town known for its gang activity. We passed three memorials for children who had recently been killed in gang crossfire. Imagine witnessing your 7-year-old best friend bleed to death in front of a bus stop. Innocence does not last long in the North Side. I hadn’t met a single child yet, but suddenly tutoring became more to me than a resume builder. We pulled up to our destination in the dented church van with duct tape windows. A weathered Catholic church loomed ahead, eerie in the dusk shadows, the windows barren of any ornamental design. I asked the pastor and leader of our modest group where the stained glass was. He said those windows were sold along with the pews in the abandoned church. Apparently red dye in stained glass windows is often made with melted gold. “Good thing most people don’t know that, or these windows would have been stolen long before they were ever sold,” he told me casually. I wondered if it would be safe enough for us to cross from the church van into the church in this neighborhood. The church windows were dirty, and some were smashed in. I was scared and oddly excited. The basement door to the church was propped open with a block of wood, and the noises of chaos inside leaked into the night air through the propped door. We entered,

and without introduction were encouraged to pick a table and start helping the kids, ages K-12, with their homework. There were 40 of them and ten of us. “Don’t take it personally if they aren’t receptive right away,” a tutoring veteran warned me. “Your first time can be difficult.” I brushed the warning aside but quickly found that I should have taken it more seriously. My first student’s name was Tanaya. She didn’t like to talk. I was informed that most of the students came for the free food and fellowship and suffered through the homework as a consequence. As I introduced myself and tried to show Tanaya how to do her multiplication problem, she wouldn’t look me in the eye. I could tell she had tuned me out, and eventually she put her head down and turned away. I felt inadequate. I wanted to help so badly but I couldn’t even get through to my first student. Everything I said to her fell on deaf ears, and tears welled up in my eyes. I blinked them back, embarrassed, before anyone could see, and tried helping another student until it was time for dinner. Jacob was in 7th grade and couldn’t read words with more than two syllables. We sounded them out together and struggled through the homework. I couldn’t imagine being in 7th grade and not being able to read fluently, but he was an average student in his class. “My teacher tries to get me to read out loud in class but I pretend I don’t hear her, and she calls on someone else. I hate reading,” he said. I smiled and calmly explained that I’m not his teacher, and we would finish his assignment together. He continued to sound out the words reluctantly. I had a lot to think about on the way home that night. It was a crash course on inner city politics and lifestyles that I knew nothing about. How could the teachers pass

these students from grade to grade without noticing that they couldn’t read or do basic math? Over the course of my freshman tutoring experience I would come to learn the names of all 40 kids, and some would even open up to me. Their stories were often tragic, but some were hopeful. I wondered how many would ever make it to college. I remember one girl very distinctly. Her name was Xai, and she wanted to be a writer. “Can I bring you my stories to read next time, Miss Jenna?” My response was of course an enthusiastic yes. She didn’t come back the next week, though. She left to live with her aunt in a different part of the city and changed school districts. I still think about Xai and her stories from time to time. She had a fierce spark of ambition that gave me hope for the rest of the children. I was so profoundly impacted by the kids I tutored that I continued to tutor inner city students throughout the rest of my college career, culminating in a job with the Salvation Army as a full time counselor this past summer. We started a reading program and ran into the same old problems, but with a little patience we discovered just how much these overlooked children actually wanted to learn. Many of them had a keen sense of self-awareness and knew that they should be learning more than they were taught in class. I was helping a student with his homework during my volunteer time with the Salvation Army in the fall when his brother peeked over our shoulders. “Man! How come we learning the same things in my class that my brother’s learning now? I’m three years older!” His observation was more astute than he realized. Four years of college affect everyone in a different way. For some, college is a trial-and-error experience of how to drink oneself as close to the brink of death as possible at a frat party without actually crossing over. For others, it’s a lesson in time management and becoming acquainted with every 24-hour

coffee shop within driving distance. For me, it was something a little more unconventional. I threw myself into a world where few ever get to experience the college culture. I experienced the trials, the heartaches, and the hopes of the forgotten children of inner city St. Louis, and they changed my life forever.

Opinion Editorial

The Forgotten Jive of St. Louis

Link to Article in Saint Louis University Newspaper

This year, PR club chose to team up with the Sheldon Concert Hall in an effort to

raise awareness on SLU’s campus and abroad about the jazz series being held at the concert hall.

After attending one of the concerts in their jazz series, I wrote an article emphasizing the

importance of jazz in St. Louis’s heritage and encouraging SLU students to attend one or all of the

rest of the concerts in the jazz series. My commentary was published in the University News in

January of this year.

Jazz music is quickly becoming just another homeless soul to haunt the streets of St. Louis. A genre that used to have a secure place in every cool club in town has become nearly obsolete. Sure, we pay tribute with the Big Muddy Blues Festival once a year, and there is a spattering of clubs and performance halls that feature jazz artists, but the following isn’t there anymore. I went to a bar known for its New Orleans flare last weekend. The fried alligator was to die for, but the live band disappointed me with its rock covers…nothing at all like the sweet tones of classic big band jazz that I would expect from a restaurant that’s trying to pull off the flavor of New Orleans. Jazz is American, and jazz is beautiful. When it started becoming popular in the early 20th century, jazz music finally gave a voice to those who didn’t have one. It could be soulful, upbeat or controversial, and it didn’t see the color of anyone’s skin. Everyone was welcome. In 1926, a musical legend was born to this city who would later be known for his passion, his sound and his ability to literally see the music he played. Miles Davis said that he could see distinctly different colors for each chord that he heard. Every day in the St. Louis History Museum he can be heard explaining the phenomenon of playing the notes of the rainbow. Sadly, although the tribute may be flattering, he never would have wanted his memory to live alone in a museum. As if predicting his own fate, Miles Davis was once quoted saying, “I never thought that the music called ‘jazz’ was ever meant to reach just a small group of people, or become a museum thing locked under glass like all other dead things that were once considered artistic.” He wanted his legacy to live on through his music and his passion to live through the musicians who play to keep jazz alive today. Before last weekend, jazz was nothing for me to be particularly passionate about. I’ve always enjoyed the unusual

beat, but my bitterness runs deep with the genre. After all, it’s tough being an overeager high school band geek whose band director says that clarinets don’t belong in jazz band. (Benny Goodman would roll over in his grave.) I know, after seven years I should probably have let that one go. But this last weekend I did let it go, and I had the opportunity to see an incredible live jazz trumpeter perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Nicholas Payton, suave and cool in his pinstripe suit, face shadowed by his fedora, played a show that gave me chills and reminded me of how much I love jazz music. My favorite part of the night, however, wasn’t the music. It was seeing a father and son bonding over one jazz trumpeter. Both were dressed in the same style of black suit and fedora that Payton sported, and the boy couldn’t have been more than nine years old. In an age that perpetuates a kind of unrefined rap culture through baggy clothes, white gold chains and violent, sexually explicit lyrics, this kid’s father brought him to a jazz concert and gave him an experience that not many city youth get the opportunity to have. The combination of music, atmosphere, and presence of his dad created a very memorable night for the boy who looked like he could be a young Nicholas Payton himself. It’s time to bring jazz back home to St. Louis and make this city bright and exciting again. The closest I’ve come to reinventing what I imagine to be St. Louis during the jazz era is Beale Street in Memphis. A mix of jazz and blues pours out of the bars and onto Beale Street every night to recreate a moment in time when music took talent and had flavor. Although I can’t speak for any of the jazz and blues clubs throughout St. Louis, I hope to experience them soon. I can speak for my experience at the Sheldon Concert Hall, however, and their jazz series could be part of a movement to show this city what it has forgotten. With

Eliane Elias, the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, and Steve Tyrell all coming up starting in January, I plan to repeat my experience at the Sheldon and encourage everyone else to do the same. Located on Washington Street, it’s a short walk from the Saint Louis University campus and the Fox Theater. Let’s support jazz music and bring some rhythm and class back to St. Louis.

Additional PR WorkIncluded here is a press release from my public relations internship at the Saint

Louis Science Center along with three radio public service announcements for a Rams charity event.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For further information, contact:March 20, 2008 Beth Bishop McClure

Saint Louis Science Center 314.289.1455 or 314.267.9916 bmcclure@slsc.org

DINO EGG HUNT AT SAINT LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER OFFERS CHANCE TO MEET “SUE” IN CHICAGO

ST. LOUIS – First Fridays at the Saint Louis Science Center continue with a free Dino Egg Hunt on Friday, April 3. Participants may search the Science Center for hidden dino-sized eggs with fabulous prizes inside.

With the exhibition A T. Rex Named Sue coming to a close on April 12, the Dino Egg Hunt will serve as a farewell to the cast of the largest, most complete and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever found.

“Friday, April 3, is one of the last chances for visitors to see Sue, and we wanted to offer a little extra fun during the final days,” said Brad Nuccio, senior vice president of the Science Center. “This is a twist on the traditional egg hunt. We’ll honor the discovery of Sue by encouraging our visitors to make some discoveries of their own.”

The egg hunt headlines the second First Friday at the Science Center. The oversized eggs will be “hidden” throughout the building, including the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, so hunters can explore the museum while searching.

In addition to a trip for two to Chicago to see Sue the T. rex’s real skeleton, visitors may also discover a free birthday party at the Science Center, free Science Around Town trips, a free week of Summer Science Blast camp, two free spots on a spring Amazing Challenge, free Science Center memberships, discount coupons and more.

The hunt begins at 6 p.m., is free, and participants may roam the Science Center until all the eggs are found or the museum closes at 9:30 p.m., whichever comes first. More information about the hunt and First Fridays is available at slsc.org

# # #

Trademarks: Thank you for your interest in covering the Saint Louis Science Center. We ask that you include the full names of our institution: Saint Louis Science Center, OMNIMAX Theater, and James S. McDonnell Planetarium when writing your story.

Saint Louis Science CenterThe Saint Louis Science Center is one of the top five science centers in the United States, serving 1.2 million visitors annually. Recently named one of the “10 Best Science Centers for Families” by Parents magazine and one of “America’s Most Visited Museums” by Forbes Traveler Magazine, - the only museum in Missouri to be named to either list - the Saint Louis Science Center complex includes a four-story OMNIMAX® Theater, the air-supported EXPLORADOME and the James S. McDonnell Planetarium. The center’s mission is to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning.

FOR RELEASE UNTIL 10/30/08 CONTACT: Jenna Engstrom 309-737-5650

Jengstro@slu.edu

RAMS/HEAT-UP ST. LOUISPSAs

:30 Enjoy a Rams game while helping local families keep warm this winter. Sunday, November 30, help the Rams “boot out old man winter” with your donations. Winter is a dangerous time for those who must make tough choices between feeding their families and staying warm. The drive will take place before, during, and after the Rams game in and around the Edward Jones Dome. Can’t make it to the game? Just call the Heat-Up hotline at 314-241-7668 to donate. Make a difference in someone’s life this winter.

:20 Hey Rams fans! Go to the game on Sunday, November 30 and help the Rams keep local residents warm this winter. Save a family from having to choose between food and warmth by donating to Heat-Up St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome. Can’t make it to the game? Just call the Heat-Up Hotline at 314-241-7668 and make a difference this winter.

:10 On Sunday, November 30, go to the Rams game and donate to keep local families warm this winter. Donations will be taken in and around the Edward Jones Dome, or just call the Heat-Up Hotline at 314-241-7668 to donate.