Clippings

Matt Arado

Writer, editor, storyteller, communicator

I'm an award-winning communicator and storyteller with high-level experience in content, journalism and marketing. (Resume available above.) I work as the Associate Director of Communications at GEMS World Academy Chicago, a private independent day school in downtown Chicago, where I lead efforts to establish and communicate the school's narrative/storyline. Previously, I was a staff writer at the Daily Herald, a regional daily newspaper based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where I won multiple awards for investigative reporting, feature writing and arts reporting. In 2014, I earned my Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Columbia College Chicago.

United States

Portfolio

Marketing work: Blog, ad copy, videos

Gemsworldacademy-chicago
01/30/2018
SIX REASONS A DESIGN LAB IS ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING
Walk into the Design & Innovation Lab at GEMS World Academy Chicago, and you'll likely find yourself gripped by the desire to make something. It probably has a lot to do with...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q37lfIRGAOc
GEMS World Academy Chicago
04/05/2018
GEMS: Grade 3 PSA project
Newsweek
10/25/2017
GEMS World Academy Chicago
The role of education is changing. Schools have to prepare students for a world that is more diverse, more connected and more rapidly evolving than ever before. Helping young...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0t_qtX_K10&t=2s
GEMS World Academy Chicago
04/02/2018
GEMS and Chicago Ideas Week
Print ad
09/01/2017
Advertising copy -- GEMS World Academy
Gemsworldacademy-chicago
06/20/2017
THE SKILLS TODAY'S STUDENTS NEED TO BE LEADERS TOMORROW
Every year, global finance company Bloomberg conducts an exhaustive survey of recruiters to find out what skills are most in demand by employers, and what skills are the hardest...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfIOAorVOY4&list=PL4sEVLdUlTcoqGv06y0vIa1YfNV8G9SrQ&index=6
GEMS World Academy Chicago
04/19/2018
GEMS Trout Field Study - "Let Them Go!"
Gemsworldacademy-chicago
Weekly Parents Newsletter; 5/4/17
Those of you who attended the "GWA Connect" summit held in early March will remember the robust conversation with my fellow heads of school and other GEMS colleagues about...
Gemsworldacademy-chicago
05/04/2017
FOCUS ON A TRANSDISCIPLINARY UNIT: ACCESSIBILITY
A key component of the academic program at GEMS World Academy Chicago is that we tie disciplines together in our daily inquiries. This "transdisciplinary" approach makes...
Gemsworldacademy-chicago
Monthly Newsletter; April 2017
Gemsworldacademy-chicago
Weekly Parents Newsletter; 3/23/17
GEMS, a young school, is already establishing school traditions.
GEMS Viewbook
GEMS World Academy Viewbook/Prospectus

Journalism

Daily Herald
Heart singer Ann Wilson brings career-spanning show to Arcada Theatre
"Barracuda," the blistering anti-sexism hit from the band Heart, sounds like it could have emerged from the anger of today's #MeToo movement. It was written more than 40 years...
Daily Herald
05/10/2017
Iconic '80s band Tears for Fears joins Hall & Oates for Allstate show
It's been more than 30 years since new wave/pop band Tears for Fears conquered the world with the monstrously successful record "Songs From the Big Chair." Their creative energy...
Daily Herald
01/13/2017
Life 'Stories': Robbie Fulks looking toward Grammys
Daily Herald
02/17/2013
Suburban libraries go digital, add services
Libraries across the suburbs have evolved in recent years to stay relevant in an increasingly digital age. Many have incorporated sophisticated new technology that allows users...
Daily Herald
12/23/2012
Mentally ill say more suburban housing options needed
Having a home of their own is one more struggle for those living with mental illness. "People with mental illness in this area are forced to live with their parents or in...
Daily Herald
04/27/2010
Pension argument pits 'haves' and 'have nots'
Coming tomorrow: Increase taxes or cut benefits? What to do next. Madge and Jim Pierce spent years scrimping and pumping nearly 40 percent of their income into a 401(k), only to...
Daily Herald
07/28/2008
New drug gives hope for those with multiple sclerosis
Daily Herald
05/29/2008
Here's the pitch: Wiffle Ball a big hit with old and new players
PopMatters
The Handsome Family: Wilderness
The Handsome Family This New Mexico duo's latest is another strong collection of strange and hypnotic Americana music. Listening to the Handsome Family's music feels a bit like...
All Copyrights Belong To Their Respective Owners