Whitby Commemorates 60th Anniversary with Student-Run Logo Contest

2018 marks Whitby School’s 60th anniversary, and to commemorate the occasion, Whitby’s marketing team and design department empowered this year’s 8th graders to run the 60th Anniversary Logo Contest. Based on their design knowledge, 8th graders collectively determined the criteria for judging and parameters for entry and narrowed the selections down to four entries, which were brought to a final vote on Facebook. The winning logo, designed by 7th grader Lauren Lindsey, is now being used on all 60th anniversary marketing materials through the end of the year.

The team of 8th graders who ran the contest recently completed a 16-week blog project documenting the process of selecting Whitby’s 60th Anniversary logo. The blog project was co-authored weekly by the 8th graders and design teacher Phil Lohmeyer, culminating with a final entry by contest winning Lauren Lindsey. Intended to walk readers through different phases of the design process, the posts were distributed through Whitby’s Passion for Learning blog over the past four months, and the project is now available in its entirety here.

The posts include logo contest tips and project strategies used by the 8th graders, who received contest entries from 116 students ranging from 6 to 14 years old. Middle School Head Jonathan Chein said of the blog project,

“A core component of Whitby’s mission is to empower students to take action," says Jonathan Chein, middle school head. "What a great opportunity for our students to take meaningful action through a venture that supports digital skills, and fits in with our mission of student advocacy.”

The blog, titled “WAVE THE FLAG for Whitby's 60th: Logo Contest Design,” features quotes from students, scans of handwritten notes, and photos of the design process. Analysts include Catelyn Peters (Need & Raise Awareness), Victoria Rivera (Research & Find Your Adventure), Quinn Hulme (Products & Meet Your Mentors), and Quinn Resnick (Brief & Cross Over). Developers include Matthew Hake (Specifics & Commit to Change), Carolina Ferrer (Ideas & Experiment), Taylor Bryan (Present & Recruit Your Allies), and Alex Resnick (Diagram & Approach the Challenge). Creators include Isabelle Behring (Plan & Prepare), Seneca Schmitz (Skills & Attempt), Carolina Rivera (Solution & Seize the Sword), and Griffin Penna (Change & Adapt). Evaluators include Sam Junkermann (Test & Rededicate), Julien Chaussé (Success & Evaluate), Simon Hermann (Improve & Resurrect), and Lauren Lindsey (Impact & Master).

While developing the contest, students piloted a new Project Management system outlined in the 2017 book WAVE THE FLAG: Project Management with Mr. Lohmeyer’s Design Flags. In September, the students received an opportunity to serve the school’s Marketing Department by designing the milestone logo contest.

"While judging the entries, we looked for principles of design, such as balance, contrast and pattern,” says Caroline Rivera, 8th grader at Whitby School. 

“The WAVE THE FLAG system gives designers a way to stay organized, and gives others access to design thinking," says Lohmeyer."If you have a large project that you're not sure how to start, follow the 8th graders as they create solutions for this school-wide contest!”

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