Big Picture Philadelphia

Big Picture Philadelphia (BPP) provides transformational educational experiences to under-served youth through its two school sites, Vaux High School and El Centro de Estudiantes High School. As a neighborhood public school in the Sharswood neighborhood, Vaux is unique in offering small class size, individualized education plans, real world learning, internships, and advisory (Check out this profile of Vaux High School and Big Picture Philadelphia, highlighting its exciting evolution over its first four years). El Centro is an alternative high school, located in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia and serves students who have previously disconnected from school. Each school practices restorative justice in order to build a positive community in and out of the classroom and has a deep commitment to changing the trajectory of its students.

BPP hired Insyte to lead a strategic positioning process, coinciding with the outgoing transition of the organization’s founding Executive Director. The central goals of the strategic process were to define BPP’s future what and their why, while leaving space for the new incoming Executive Director to lead the process of defining the how — how, exactly, the new strategic direction would be realized.

“You made us better. You made us better by creating a process that was, above all else, love-based. You challenged us. You encouraged us. You are our champions. You taught us. You challenged me, all the time. I told you, and I told the team that I went into the process kicking and screaming a little bit. And I am so appreciative that we've gone through this process. I'm a better person for it. And there is no doubt that Big Picture Philadelphia is so much better off after all this work. You gave me the ultimate gift of being able to transition out of this work with a thoughtful vision for the future. And I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

David Bromley

Former Executive Director, Big Picture Philadelphia

At the heart of the matter for the Vision Team were key decisions around BPP’s growth and the direction of their development. They investigated and sensed into big questions including, “What Should BPP’s impact be in 10 years — regarding capacity (human and financial), regarding partnership, regarding model and approach?

The diversity of the group participating in the Vision Team made deep and important conversations about educational equity and social justice inevitable. The truths named in those conversations, and the priorities they demand, are embedded throughout the new strategic direction of the organization.

Our work with BPP resulted in a shared vision for the future which inspired all involved. At its core are six “Pillars” of Strategic Direction:

1. Build Human Capacity to attract and retain adult Stakeholders.
2. Deepen and Expand Partnerships in support of the whole student and the whole community.
3. Focus on Equity to close the gap.
4. Ensure and Demonstrate Student Success to prove the concept and focus on impact.
5. Strengthen Real World Learning to support students on their pathways to post-secondary success.
6. Co-Create Community Focused Strategies and Partnerships in the Vaux and El Centro Communities to develop a thriving neighborhood-focused education model using schools as both hub and catalyst for change.

Action has already sprouted from the plan, including launching a conference on real-world learning.