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North Idaho College students' marketing package chosen to benefit special needs nonprofit

| March 10, 2025 1:07 AM

A nonprofit that provides help for those with special needs through equine-assisted services is reaping the benefits of the creativity of North Idaho College's graphic and web design students.

The marketing package submitted by NIC students Ryan Lamb of Coeur d’Alene, Kolden Delbridge of Coeur d’Alene and Aurora Bacowsky of Priest River during the recent 48-hour Create competition in Spokane organized by the American Advertising Federation was chosen as the top entry to be used by the Free Rein Therapeutic Riding Center nonprofit in Spokane for its outreach materials.

“From the postcard for our 2025 Annual Auction Dinner to the signs for our large A-frames, all of the marketing materials made by the students at North Idaho College are so creative and so useful to our nonprofit,” Stephanie Gass, Free Rein’s executive director, said in a Friday news release.

Teams from NIC, Eastern Washington University and Community Colleges of Spokane received a contest briefing at 5 p.m. on a Friday, collaborated on their project remotely over the weekend and turned their marketing packages in Sunday afternoon.

“This was my first time working on a group project, and it turned out really nice when it was done,” Delbridge said. “We focused on taking a clean approach to our design."

Lamb said the competition and seeing the fruits of his team’s labor on the nonprofit’s social media, web page, banners and T-shirts inspire him to take his creativity to another level.

Philippe Valle, NIC graphic web design/video production associate professor, called the NIC students’ package “second to none.”

“They clearly understood what the message should be,” Valle said. “Being on point and on brand made the big difference for them. This was a real-world scenario that will help raise their confidence.”