Create a Success Story

Learn how to create a new success story record in PEARS, including the title, reporting periods, program areas, and supporting details.

This article walks through the steps to create a new success story in PEARS. A success story captures a detailed narrative about the impact of your programming, along with supporting evidence and linked records.

TIP: The red asterisk * next to the heading of a field indicates that the field is required. Required fields must be completed before you can save the record.

1

Navigate to Success Stories

From the PEARS homepage, hover over the Reflect menu in the top navigation bar and click Success Stories.

2

Click Add Success Story

On the Success Stories list page, click the Add Success Story button to open the success story form.

3

Enter a Title

Screenshot: The top of the success story creation form showing the Title, Reporting Periods, and Program Areas fields

In the Title field, enter a descriptive title for this success story.

TIP: Choose a title that clearly conveys the impact or theme of the story, such as the program name, outcome, or community served.

4

Select Reporting Periods

In the Reporting Periods field, select the reporting period(s) that apply to this success story.

5

Select Program Areas

In the Program Areas field, select the program area(s) that apply to this success story. At least one program area is required.

NOTE: The program areas you select determine whether additional data sections, such as SNAP-Ed data, will be required later in the workflow.

6

Select a Site (optional)

In the Site field, select the site or organization related to this success story. Start typing to search for an available site.

7

Select a Unit

In the Unit field, select the extension unit associated with this success story.

8

Link a Program Activity (optional)

In the Program Activity field, select a program activity to link to this success story. Linking a program activity associates the story with a specific direct education record.

9

Link an Action Plan (optional)

In the Action Plan field, select an action plan to link to this success story. Linking an action plan connects the story to a broader planning effort.

10

Add Keywords (optional)

In the Keywords field, select one or more keywords to tag this success story. The available keywords are filtered based on your organization.

TIP: Keywords help categorize and search for success stories across your organization. Use consistent keywords to make stories easier to find later.

11

Add Uploads (optional)

In the Uploads section, attach any relevant files, photos, or documents that support the success story.

If you attach uploads, the Has Photo Releases field appears. Select the appropriate option:

• Not Applicable — No photos of individuals are included.

• Yes — Photo releases have been obtained for all individuals pictured.

• No — Photo releases have not been obtained.

NOTE: The Has Photo Releases field is required when uploads are present. Ensure you have proper photo releases before uploading images that include identifiable individuals.

12

Add Comments (optional)

In the Comments field, enter any additional notes or context about this success story.

13

Save and Continue

Click the Save and Continue button at the bottom of the form. PEARS saves the success story and takes you to the next step in the workflow: the Collaborators page.

To save without continuing, click the Save button instead.