Pinewood Scholars Program
During my time in the Pinewood Scholars Program, I created multiple design projects focused on community healing and education. My work spanned physical installations, merchandise design, and children's book illustrationāall united by a mission to support individuals navigating trauma through thoughtful design.
For SAVE (Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments), I designed and installed a transformative light sculpture that uses color and modular lighting to create calming spaces for survivors of intimate partner violence.
I developed custom merchandise for the Pinewood Scholars Program that visually represents its values of social entrepreneurship and innovation through subtle but meaningful embroidered designs.
My illustration work for Chest of Hope resulted in "Rueben & Friends," a children's book that educates about teen dating violence (affecting 1 in 3 teens) using an accessible visual style that communicates safety and self-worth.
Spark
As part of my time in the Pinewood Scholars Program, I had the opportunity to work on several design-centered projects focused on community, healing, and education. Each project tackled a different challengeābut shared a common goal: using design and storytelling to create environments, tools, and media that support people, especially youth, navigating trauma and uncertainty.
Build
Merchandise Design ā Pinewood Scholars Program
Designed a line of custom embroidered merchandise to reflect the Pinewood Scholars Program's emphasis on social entrepreneurship, education, and innovation. The designs were created to be subtle but meaningfulāvisual expressions of the program's values worn with pride by its members.
Transformative Light Structure ā SAVE
I designed and installed a custom light sculpture at SAVE (Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments), a nonprofit that supports survivors of intimate partner violence. The goal was to build a calming, adaptable structure that could shift the atmosphere of the space through color and light.
- Used laser-cut acrylic and adjustable LED lighting to create a modular installation
- Applied color theory to design a palette focused on calming, safe tones
- Painted and assembled pieces to produce diffused, ambient lighting that supports both relaxation and privacy
- Designed the piece to be flexible and unobtrusive, while also acting as a visual focal point for the room
This installation aimed to reduce stress and foster a sense of calm in an environment meant for healing.
Children's Book Illustration ā Chest of Hope
Illustrated a children's book for Chest of Hope, an organization that provides education and support for families affected by domestic violence and human trafficking.
The book, Rueben & Friends, is an educational comic strip aimed to raise awareness about teen dating violence, which affects 1 in 3 teenagers in the U.S.
- Developed a visual style that was both accessible and emotionally sensitive for younger audiences
- Illustrated scenes that support storytelling around safety, boundaries, and self-worth
- Created artwork that complements the message: that no one should suffer in silence, and support is available
Launch
These projects are currently in use: whether in physical spaces like SAVE, in the hands of educators through my book, or worn by scholars across the Pinewood community. Each initiative was driven by a clear purpose and real-world needs, and my role was to apply design tools, lighting, illustration, branding, to meet those needs in ways that were thoughtful and functional.
The experience sharpened my ability to design with empathy, communicate through visual systems, and build for impact - not just aesthetics.
