Ensure all high school students in the Permian Basin make a plan for their education and career after high school
Narrative
LandscapeMapping the Narrative Landscape
Analyzing local media, EPPB found that most high school and college news stories focused on sports. A few highlighted the importance of education, but placed the emphasis on affordability: framing cost as the main barrier.
Analyzing local media, EPPB found that most high school and college news stories focused on sports. A few highlighted the importance of education, but placed the emphasis on affordability: framing cost as the main barrier.
Students
MindsetUnderstanding Audience Mindset
Through research, EPPB learned that students value opportunity and exploration, that they believe they have to leave the Permian Basin to achieve their dreams, and that negative perceptions of the Permian Basin affect their desire to live and work there.
Through research, EPPB learned that students value opportunity and exploration, that they believe they have to leave the Permian Basin to achieve their dreams, and that negative perceptions of the Permian Basin affect their desire to live and work there.
PersuasionTesting Persuasive Messages
EPPB developed student stories highlighting young people’s agency across a wide variety of education and career pathways in the Permian Basin. They also developed messaging that reframed advising around discovering opportunities and gaining real-world experience. The stories and aspirational language resonated with high school sophomores.
EPPB developed student stories highlighting young people’s agency across a wide variety of education and career pathways in the Permian Basin. They also developed messaging that reframed advising around discovering opportunities and gaining real-world experience. The stories and aspirational language resonated with high school sophomores.
ActionPutting Messaging Into Action
EPPB conducted messaging training with education leaders to share their audience insights. Beforehand, 70% of leaders believed that storytelling is a powerful way to persuade students to consider career options in the Permian Basin. Afterward, 100% agreed.
EPPB conducted messaging training with education leaders to share their audience insights. Beforehand, 70% of leaders believed that storytelling is a powerful way to persuade students to consider career options in the Permian Basin. Afterward, 100% agreed.
Creating
ChangeCreating Change
EPPB is turning insights about persuasive messaging for high school students in the Permian Basin into a messaging guide and a professional development course for counselors, administrators, and educators: helping them communicate with high school students, to help them make their own plans for education and careers in the Permian Basin.
EPPB is turning insights about persuasive messaging for high school students in the Permian Basin into a messaging guide and a professional development course for counselors, administrators, and educators: helping them communicate with high school students, to help them make their own plans for education and careers in the Permian Basin.
Creating ChangeCreating Change
EPPB is turning insights about persuasive messaging for high school students in the Permian Basin into a messaging guide and a professional development course for counselors, administrators, and educators: helping them communicate with high school students, to help them make their own plans for education and careers in the Permian Basin.
EPPB is turning insights about persuasive messaging for high school students in the Permian Basin into a messaging guide and a professional development course for counselors, administrators, and educators: helping them communicate with high school students, to help them make their own plans for education and careers in the Permian Basin.
Mindset
What is the audience's mindset?
Key Takeaway
Through research, EPPB learned that students value opportunity and exploration, that they believe they have to leave the Permian Basin to achieve their dreams, and that negative perceptions of the Permian Basin affect their desire to live and work there.
Insights
- High school students value economic stability and mental health
- Students value education and career paths that offer opportunity and exploration
- High school students and young adults hold different beliefs about the value of a post-secondary education
- Students believe they have to leave the Permian Basin to achieve their dreams
- Some young adults who leave the Permian Basin return for family or job opportunities
- Family members are the greatest influence on students' post-secondary decisions
- Negative perceptions of the Permian Basin affect young people's desire to live and work there
- Pathways-related jargon is not widely understood
For Example:
Some young adults who leave the Permian Basin return for family or job opportunities
In Their Own Words
“You don't really get to experience what life is really about because it's so, you know, close-minded and one-sided. Allowing yourself to go out there and experience the world I think will benefit you when you come back to the Permian Basin.”
Young Professional from the Permian Basin, Odessa, TX
Persuasion
What messages are most persuasive to the target audience?
Key Takeaway
EPPB developed student stories highlighting young people’s agency across a wide variety of education and career pathways in the Permian Basin. They also developed messaging that reframed advising around discovering opportunities and gaining real-world experience. The stories and aspirational language resonated with high school sophomores.
Narrative Framework
Connection
Young people want opportunities to explore and find their own path that leads to success and stability in their future.
Young people want opportunities to explore and find their own path that leads to success and stability in their future.
Young people want opportunities to explore and find their own path that leads to success and stability in their future.
Problem
Many young people growing up in the Permian Basin, dominated by the oil industry, may not be aware of other career opportunities here that will help them pursue their dreams and achieve the life they want in the community they call home.
Many young people growing up in the Permian Basin, dominated by the oil and gas industry, may not be aware of other career opportunities here that will help them pursue their dreams and achieve the life they want in the community they call home.
Many young people growing up in the Permian Basin, dominated by the oil and gas industry, may not be aware of other career opportunities here that will help them pursue their dreams and achieve the life they want in the community they call home.
Solution
Connecting to people who have thriving careers in the Permian Basin — not only working in the oil field — helps you see possibilities for all of the local opportunities to gain hands-on experience and education that leads to a good job. The Permian Basin helps students jumpstart their careers, explore their interests and have a chance at pursuing the life they want – whether that’s owning land or having more time with family.
Connecting to people who have thriving careers in the Permian Basin — not only working in the oil field — helps you see possibilities for all of find the local opportunities to gain hands-on real-world experience and education that leads to a good quality job. The Permian Basin helps students jumpstart their careers, explore their interests and have a chance at pursuing the life they want – whether that’s owning land or having more time with family.
Connecting to people who have thriving careers in the Permian Basin — not only working in the oil field — helps you find the local opportunities to gain real-world experience and education that leads to a quality job. The Permian Basin helps students jumpstart their careers, explore their interests and have a chance at pursuing the life they want – whether that’s owning land or having more time with family.
Vision
We are working toward a future where every student in the Permian Basin has the opportunity to succeed in their future career and thrive in life. Local students – each with their unique talents – are the leaders we need to make the Permian Basin a better place to learn, work, and live.
We are working toward a future where every student in the Permian Basin has finds the opportunity to succeed in their future career and thrive in life. Local students – each with their unique talents – are the leaders we need to make the Permian Basin a better place to learn, work, and live.
We are working toward a future where every student in the Permian Basin finds the opportunity to succeed in their future career and thrive in life. Local students – each with their unique talents – are the leaders we need to make the Permian Basin a better place to learn, work, and live.
Insights
- Stories that center young people’s agency and choice resonate for high school students
- Journey stories help young people imagine living and working in the Permian Basin
- Active and asset-based language and frames about the Permian Basin resonate positively for students
- Replace technical messages about “advising” with messages that emphasize the values and benefits of advising
- Students are inspired by education and career opportunities that help you pursue your dreams
For Example:
Stories that center young people's agency and choice resonate for high school students
See the Story
High school sophomores responded positively to a video featuring a recent high school student from Odessa, Texas, which was produced by RoadTrip Nation, a nonprofit that specializes in student-centered storytelling.
Video
Video file
Notes
“That was helpful…because it does show that it is possible…Even if you have to start here, like in Odessa or Midland, you can always work your way up and transfer schools and really reach the career you wanna do.” - 10th Grade white female, small rural public high school
“Like how she takes charge of it. Like she’s been knowing what she wanted to do since, like senior year. That’s cool. I think that’s good. I wish I knew that. Like, I’m kind of like in between a couple of different jobs that I want to do." - 10th grade Latino male, small rural public high school
For Example:
Replace technical messages about “advising” with messages that emphasize the values and benefits of advising
See the Example
High school sophomores provided feedback in response to a sample flier from a high school advising center:
“I feel like the first thing you look at is the big word, “Advising.” And I would be kind of bored if I just saw “Advising.” I'd want to see opportunities or find a path that leads to success.”
- 10th grade white female, large urban public high school
Image
Action
How were the messages put into action?
Key Takeaway
EPPB conducted messaging training with education leaders to share their audience insights. Beforehand, 70% of leaders believed that storytelling is a powerful way to persuade students to consider career options in the Permian Basin. Afterward, 100% agreed.
Impact
When EPPB shared student stories with education leaders in the Permian Basin, it helped to persuade them about the power of student stories to connect with and persuade students to consider career options in the Permian Basin.
EPPB plans to develop a messaging guide for counselors/advisors, administrators, and teachers in the Permian Basin, as well as a presentation/course to be used as professional development for local high school teachers and counselors. During this course, districts can bring their own materials to review and determine areas where language can better reflect what was learned from students in this project.
Insights
- Education leaders increased their knowledge about effective messaging with high school students
- Education leaders plan to use what they learned about effective messaging to students
- Education leaders shifted their perspective on the importance of storytelling with students
- Education leaders found real-life videos and stories helpful in understanding narrative change
For Example:
Education leaders shifted their perspective on the importance of storytelling with students
See the Numbers
After the messaging training from EPPB, 100% of education leaders strongly agreed that storytelling is persuasive to students when communicating about postsecondary and career opportunities in the Permian Basin, compared to 70% before the training.
100%
EDUCATION LEADERS STRONGLY AGREE THAT STORYTELLING IS PERSUASIVE TO STUDENTS