Quick Summary
Main focus: rebuilding the volunteer, skater registration, and donation systems into dedicated pages that better explain why people should get involved with Gliding Stars—not just how.
Solving One of the Biggest Problems on the Old Website
This week focused on two pages that were technically present on the old website, but not in a way that really invited people into the organization:
- Get Involved
- Donate
On the old site, getting involved was buried under the title: “Contact Us/Register.”
That wording immediately felt:
- intimidating
- transactional
- confusing
- and honestly a little outdated
Especially for first-time visitors.
And once users actually reached the page, everything was compressed together into one large block of information:
- volunteers
- skaters
- forms
- contact details
- instructions
all competing for attention at the same time.
There was very little explanation of:
- why someone should volunteer
- what volunteers actually do
- what the environment is like
- or why a family should feel comfortable joining the program
The page mostly just threw information at people.
So one of my biggest goals here was making the experience feel:
- welcoming
- encouraging
- organized
- and human
instead of overwhelming.
Separating Volunteers and Skaters
The biggest structural improvement was clearly separating:
- volunteers
- and skaters
into two dedicated sections.
On desktop, the two sections sit side-by-side, which immediately makes the page feel much cleaner and easier to understand.
On mobile, they stack vertically in a way that still feels natural and easy to navigate.
That responsiveness was important to me because by this point in the redesign, I was constantly checking:
- desktop layouts
- mobile spacing
- button sizing
- readability
- and scrolling behavior
to make sure every page felt intentional on both platforms.
The volunteer section especially became much more than just a registration area.
It became an explanation of:
- what volunteering means
- why it matters
- and how important volunteers are to the organization itself.
“Why Volunteer?” Became the Heart of the Page
The part of this page I am probably most proud of is the “Why Volunteer?” section.
Throughout the entire internship, one thing Linda constantly emphasized to me was the importance of volunteers.
Without volunteers:
- the skaters cannot skate
- practices cannot function
- and the program simply does not exist.
That reality became clearer and clearer to me every Monday night.
So I wanted the website to communicate that importance directly and honestly.
Not in a guilt-driven way—but in a way that helps people understand:
- how meaningful the experience can be
- how valuable volunteers are
- and how deeply connected the program becomes for many people involved.
I also wanted to make expectations clearer.
One issue I noticed throughout the season was that volunteer attendance and communication sometimes became stressful for leadership.
So I intentionally included language emphasizing:
- season-long commitment
- communication
- reliability
- and mutual respect
while still keeping the tone warm and understanding.
Because realistically, people are busy.
But communication matters tremendously in a volunteer-driven environment like this.
Making the Process Less Intimidating
Another thing I focused on heavily was making the process itself feel less intimidating.
The old site mostly assumed people already understood:
- how Gliding Stars worked
- what orientation looked like
- what volunteers would actually do
- and what to expect on the first night.
The new version explains:
- orientation
- volunteer-only skating
- adaptive equipment
- registration timing
- and season expectations
in a much clearer and friendlier way.
That matters because many potential volunteers are probably nervous before showing up for the first time.
Even I was nervous reconnecting with the organization at the beginning of this internship.
Clear communication lowers that barrier significantly.
Giving Donations Their Own Space
The Donate page was another major improvement simply because it finally existed as its own focused destination.
Previously, donation information was mostly just:
- squeezed onto the homepage
- attached to a random bright green button
- and easy to overlook.
Now donations have an actual dedicated page that explains:
- why donations matter
- where money goes
- and how support impacts the organization.
That became especially important because by this point:
- Emma & Dan’s Journey
- future fundraising efforts
- and public-facing outreach
all needed a clear place to direct people online.
The visual presentation also feels much more intentional now.
At the top of the page is an image of Gliding Stars skaters linking arms together during a choreographed routine.
I specifically liked that image because it subtly symbolizes:
- teamwork
- support
- community
- and shared purpose
which really reflects the organization itself.
Cleaning Up the Donation Experience
Even small details on the Donate page mattered to me.
For example: the old site used a bright green donation button that visually clashed with the rest of the website.
The new page instead uses styling that matches Venmo’s actual branding and color palette, which immediately feels:
- cleaner
- more trustworthy
- and more cohesive with the overall site design.
I also made sure the donation links actually worked correctly.
That may sound obvious, but considering the old homepage donation button linked incorrectly, it became something I checked very carefully throughout the rebuild process.
Reflection
This week’s work reinforced something I kept realizing throughout the redesign process:
good nonprofit communication is not just about giving people information.
It is about helping people feel:
- welcomed
- informed
- needed
- and emotionally connected to the mission.
The old website often presented information in ways that felt:
- cold
- cluttered
- or confusing
even though the organization itself is incredibly warm and community-driven in person.
These pages finally started bridging that gap.
Especially with the volunteer section, I felt like the website was beginning to communicate the actual heart of the organization—not just its logistics.
And honestly, after spending an entire season around the program, that mattered a lot to me.
Next Steps
- Finalize remaining website polish and consistency updates
- Continue testing layouts across desktop and mobile devices
- Prepare the site structure for eventual public launch
- Review wording and forms with Gliding Stars leadership
- Reflect on the internship as the semester comes to a close