Cristo Rey Columbus High School Website Redesign: From “Lost in Space” to “Landing in Style” 🚀

Cristo Rey Columbus High School is a powerhouse of young minds, corporate work-study magic, and serious heart. But their website? More like a digital Bermuda Triangle. Visitors got lost, content was MIA, and the vibe screamed to be more like it's actual brand.

Year

2019

Year

2019

Year

2019

Client

Cristo Rey Columbus High School

Client

Cristo Rey Columbus High School

Client

Cristo Rey Columbus High School

Role

Web Designer + Website Builder

Role

Web Designer + Website Builder

Role

Web Designer + Website Builder

“Where am I?”

Only 5% of one platform for the mobile app was documented in a reusable component library, costing designers valuable time in hacking together screenshot experiences.

Only 5% of one platform for the mobile app was documented in a reusable component library, costing designers valuable time in hacking together screenshot experiences.

Finding info on programs, admissions, or work-study felt like decoding hieroglyphics. Navigation was a maze, visuals were inconsistent, and mobile users were squinting like they’d lost their glasses.

The school needed a website that actually reflected its energy and mission: a place that welcomed students, informed parents, impressed donors, and made staff proud. Enter: Myself as a solo designer + one developer had Divi Visual Builder in hand, ready to turn this digital hot mess into a modern, functional, and accessible experience.

Before designing, I pulled some analytics down from the website before any changes had been made, to provide a reference baseline value to look back to.

  • Average session duration: 42 seconds

  • Bounce rate: 67% (yikes)

  • Mobile traffic: 55% of users, struggling with squinting at tiny text and broken layouts

  • Key actions (like finding admissions info or program pages) often required 5+ clicks

Visitors couldn’t figure out the site’s structure, programs were buried, and the corporate work-study program—one of the school’s shining achievements—was practically invisible. Basically, the site was failing to tell the school’s story.

The Simple Path: Turning Complex Data into Effortless Workflows

Attack the costly leaks first—the places customers love to escape.

Attack the costly leaks first—the places customers love to escape.

We picked Divi Visual Builder for WordPress because dragging, dropping, and styling without coding chaos = easy peezy solution that saves the budget and still provides the client with the solution they really need.

Goals:

  • Make the site visually pop and feel like the school itself

  • Make info accessible in 3 clicks or less

  • Shine a spotlight on programs, initiatives, and the work-study program

  • Optimize mobile experience without sacrificing desktop flair

Looking & feeling good.

We ditched the clutter for a clean, modern layout.

Bold headlines, clear visual hierarchy, and strategic white space mean users instantly know where to look.

Impact: Average time spent on a page increased 65%

Spotlight stealers.

Programs and the corporate work-study program got their own spotlight sections.

Student testimonials, photos, and videos highlight real experiences and outcomes. Partners love it, too—the program’s impact is now front-and-center.

Click, Don’t Freak

Navigation got a major glow-up.

Drop-down menus, clear labeling, and a streamlined sitemap make finding admissions info, program details, or events feel intuitive, even for first-time users.

They really mean what they say.

We rewrote content to be clear, punchy, and mission-driven.

No more wall-of-text boredom. Storytelling now guides visitors through the school’s journey, making it easy to understand what sets Cristo Rey apart.

Impact: Average session duration grew post-redesign. Users are reading, exploring, and getting inspired.

Tiny screen, big dreams.

Mobile-first layouts ensure content is beautiful and functional

Touch-friendly buttons, readable text, and optimized images = fewer pinch-and-zoom struggles.

Impact: Mobile bounce rate dropped 20%, and mobile sessions increased significantly (+10%) in the first month post-launch.

Looking & feeling good.

We ditched the clutter for a clean, modern layout.

Bold headlines, clear visual hierarchy, and strategic white space mean users instantly know where to look.

Impact: Average time spent on a page increased 65%

Click, Don’t Freak

Navigation got a major glow-up.

Drop-down menus, clear labeling, and a streamlined sitemap make finding admissions info, program details, or events feel intuitive, even for first-time users.

Tiny screen, big dreams.

Mobile-first layouts ensure content is beautiful and functional

Touch-friendly buttons, readable text, and optimized images = fewer pinch-and-zoom struggles.

Impact: Mobile bounce rate dropped 20%, and mobile sessions increased significantly (+10%) in the first month post-launch.

Spotlight stealers.

Programs and the corporate work-study program got their own spotlight sections.

Student testimonials, photos, and videos highlight real experiences and outcomes. Partners love it, too—the program’s impact is now front-and-center.

They really mean what they say.

We rewrote content to be clear, punchy, and mission-driven.

No more wall-of-text boredom. Storytelling now guides visitors through the school’s journey, making it easy to understand what sets Cristo Rey apart.

Impact: Average session duration grew post-redesign. Users are reading, exploring, and getting inspired.

Looking & feeling good.

We ditched the clutter for a clean, modern layout.

Bold headlines, clear visual hierarchy, and strategic white space mean users instantly know where to look.

Impact: Average time spent on a page increased 65%

Click, Don’t Freak

Navigation got a major glow-up.

Drop-down menus, clear labeling, and a streamlined sitemap make finding admissions info, program details, or events feel intuitive, even for first-time users.

Tiny screen, big dreams.

Mobile-first layouts ensure content is beautiful and functional

Touch-friendly buttons, readable text, and optimized images = fewer pinch-and-zoom struggles.

Impact: Mobile bounce rate dropped 20%, and mobile sessions increased significantly (+10%) in the first month post-launch.

Spotlight stealers.

Programs and the corporate work-study program got their own spotlight sections.

Student testimonials, photos, and videos highlight real experiences and outcomes. Partners love it, too—the program’s impact is now front-and-center.

They really mean what they say.

We rewrote content to be clear, punchy, and mission-driven.

No more wall-of-text boredom. Storytelling now guides visitors through the school’s journey, making it easy to understand what sets Cristo Rey apart.

Impact: Average session duration grew post-redesign. Users are reading, exploring, and getting inspired.

From 'Meh' to 'Let's Go'!

After the 90 day monitoring period, there was an astonishing number of pattern insertions that designers were using in their current and active workflows, with great success in also making designers more efficient in their work.

After the 90 day monitoring period, there was an astonishing number of pattern insertions that designers were using in their current and active workflows, with great success in also making designers more efficient in their work.

Visitors find info faster, engagement is up, and the school has a site they can brag about. Even tech-averse parents are happy—they can now register their kids without calling IT. Mission accomplished.

The redesigned Cristo Rey Columbus High School website didn’t just get a facelift—it got a full-on personality upgrade. Visitors no longer stumble around—instead, the site now guides, informs, and delights with every click.

Beyond the numbers, the redesign delivered something even more valuable: confidence. Cristo Rey now has a digital platform that mirrors its energy, mission, and dedication. Students, parents, donors, and staff can all experience the school’s story online in a way that feels approachable, authentic, and downright compelling.

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