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BENCHMARK SCHOOL WINS TOP PRIZE FOR THE
HEART AND SOUL OF YOUR SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST

CREATED BY AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER/DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
RAND SNYDERMAN OF IMAG-IN
PROVIDING THE GRAND PRIZE OF A CUSTOMIZED VIDEO VIEWBOOK OF THE SCHOOL

Philadelphia, PA (April 26, 2012) – Award-winning producer Rand Snyderman of Imag-IN, a communications company, is pleased to announce Benchmark School in Media, PA is the winner of their “Heart and Soul of Your School” Essay Contest. The contest invited over 30 independent schools to have students describe the real essence of their school in 100 words or less, so that Imag-IN could depict it in their grand prize – a custom-produced video viewbook. Benchmark is a coed day school for children 6 to 14 years of age, and committed to helping bright children with learning differences develop into confident strategic thinkers and problem-solvers.

Benchmark School students went over and above what was expected. With 27 heartfelt essays submitted, Benchmark was selected by the judges as the winner. Joining Snyderman as a judge was educational consultant Andy Mozenter of Concentrics, a West Chester-based organizational development and strategic planning consulting firm. Snyderman said, “We read many essays that demonstrated how much students respect their schools, but the depth of the responses from Benchmark was overwhelming.” Mozenter added, “To read, in just a few choice words, how much these children value their school experience suggests to me that there is extraordinary partnering going on between educators and students and that Benchmark has established a psychologically safe environment for students to develop into confident learners.”

For the schools, the exercise was very worthwhile. Eleanor Wiley Gensemer, Ed. D., Head of Benchmark Middle School, knows there is a special “heart” to their school and a real sense of community, but she didn’t expect to see so many passionate responses from the students. She said, “This was a good opportunity to see the number of kids who feel good about the school. It was very encouraging for the teachers to see how positive the kids were. It was a real pat on our backs to read that the kids feel very proud to be here.”
Excerpts from some of the winning essays follow:

• There is a sign outside of my school building that says “Benchmark School.” The sign is not correct. Benchmark isn’t a building. Benchmark is a people.

• Though the students at Benchmark all have learning differences we respect one another because everyone understands the trials each person must go through to be successful. At Benchmark there is an undercurrent of understanding.

• Benchmark’s soul is the community because staff members and the students understand that we as a whole all learn differently and that makes the community stronger.

• Our Mentors are the heart and soul of Benchmark because they make Benchmark feel like a real community.

• Benchmark is an outstanding school. I can be myself here.

• This is special because I actually feel like the teachers actually care about helping you and really want you to be a success.

• Our community at Benchmark has something that most schools probably do not have. That is trust. Our community is built around trust. We have lockers without any doors.

The prize of a video viewbook — a film-quality video — will bring the soul of the school to life. Imag-IN will produce the video, with a target completion date by the end of the school semester in June 2012. The viewbook can be used in any way that benefits the school – as a memory piece for students and their families or as a promotional tool for recruitment purposes. The video viewbook will reflect the “Heart and Soul” essays and become a permanent record of the how the students feel about Benchmark.

Imag-IN was originally established in 1987 by Snyderman as a business-to-business communication company. He soon built it into an award-winning leader in the design of high quality, intelligent marketing tactics for the corporate marketplace. With clients that reflect top names in a variety of market sectors — AT&T International, AstraZenca Pharmaceuticals, Lucent Technologies, Novacare and NFL Films, to name a few — over the past thirty years, Snyderman has gained tremendous respect as a creative director with vision, designing cutting-edge marketing campaigns that included video, print and the staging of elaborate tradeshow events. For more information visit, www.imag-in.com
Andy Mozenter is the founder and President of Concentrics Inc. Founded in 1989, Concentrics is an organizational development consulting firm, proficient in designing and implementing innovative processes that enhance the development and productivity of organizations. Mozenter has been providing organizational development consulting services to corporations, public and private schools, small businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the U.S. and Europe since 1983.
Founded in 1970, Benchmark’s internationally recognized, research-based program enrolls approximately 160 full-time students from the five-county Philadelphia region, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware. In addition, a five-week Summer Camp serves approximately 230 children who benefit from reading and writing instruction beyond the regular school year, as well as enjoy a recreational day camp. Benchmark’s goal is to meet students where they are so that they will experience success and develop the confidence that will enable them to take full advantage of the instruction to prepare them to meet with success in public and independent high schools and colleges and to become successful citizens of the world. Benchmark School is located at 2107 N. Providence Rd. in Media PA 19063.

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AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER/DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
RAND SNYDERMAN
RE-ENERGIZES HIS PRODUCTION COMPANY IMAGIN
WITH NEW PROJECTS FOR HOME TV, WEB & ART GALLERIES

Philadelphia, PA (March 5, 2012) – After launching several media businesses in Israel and the USA, and raising his family in both countries, Delaware Valley native son Rand Snyderman is re-focusing his award-winning communications company ImagiN on USA-oriented projects that bring depth and inspirational messaging to his projects.

Bringing a worldly perspective to the U.S. media scene, Snyderman is in development for several projects that touch on what he refers to as “heart and the soul.” He has a new TV entertainment project on a colorful family of Utah truckers, designed to re-awaken American pride and foster harmony. In another project, ImagiN is working on video campaigns capturing and communicating the heart and soul of schools and universities. And for art galleries, his recent trip to East Asia resulted in a dramatic photo exhibit capturing the essence of India.

“I love thinking about what makes people tick,” explained Snyderman. “Even though film was my primary major at Temple University, I also studied cultural anthropology. It digs into the many ways people are affected by the settings they live in and the stories and beliefs that shape their lives. That perspective really drives my current vision. After living overseas for two decades and raising sons both there and here, I’m now home in the USA to live permanently. I believe that communicating exciting, inspiring new stories can unite us, encouraging an appreciation of each other, while also celebrating individualism. And that’s my goal now.”

Originally established in 1987 as a business-to-business communication company, Snyderman built ImagiN into an award-winning leader in the design of high quality, intelligent marketing tactics for the corporate marketplace. With clients that reflect top names in a variety of market sectors — AT&T International, AstraZenca Pharmaceuticals, Lucent Technologie, Novacare and NFL Films, to name but a few — over the past thirty years, Snyderman has gained tremendous respect as a creative director with vision, designing cutting-edge marketing campaigns that included video, print and the staging of elaborate tradeshow events.

Among the awards conferred on Snyderman and ImagiN are three Telly Awards, three Axiem Awards, two New York Film Festival Awards and a Mercury Award. A regional spot, directed for Temple University Football, garnered Snyderman a coveted Monitor Award.

ImagiN’s current focus on home audiences reflects Snyderman’s eagerness to get back to his youthful roots in the music and entertainment industry. He has the distinction of starting his career with the Flying Burrito Brothers. After graduation from Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater, he moved to Israel and became involved in the film and recording industry there.

Snyderman actively participated in the initial development of Helicon Records with company founder and CEO Ronnie Braun in 1985. In 1997, this relationship expanded as Snyderman, then living in the United States, assisted Gravity Post Production Facilities in Tel Aviv merge with Rhinoceros Post Production of New York City. In 2009, the partners of Gravity purchased the remaining shares of Rhinoceros and re branded the company Gravity, with an international approach. Gravity is now considered one of the top ten special-effects houses in the world.

For more information, visit www.imag-in.com

Every so often, we are called upon to add photography to the mix.  Here’s a quick shot taken this past week.

To see the image larger, simply click on it.

I had the great opportunity to meet Kevin Hall, author of Aspire. Kevin is a true Genshai master.