The new district academic and athletic logos were approved in a 5-4 vote at the school board meeting on Aug. 18.

Since April of 2021, the school district has gone without an official logo since the board voted to retire the previous design.

With high hopes for a professional and consistent appearance, graphic design teacher Wade Bowers, who designed the logos alongside his students, reflects on the long-awaited decision.

“The students and I worked very hard to come up with new, bold designs that will work in all applications,” Bowers said. “I believe the designs are professional and very modern looking. I’m excited to see a consistent brand being used in the district.”

The school district’s announcement of the new logos to the community as well as implementing them was delayed due to minor details being worked out for the designs.

Bowers remarks that some of these details included ensuring the consistency which he wants the Warrior name to be represented with.

“One of the first things that needed to be addressed was the font,” Bowers said. “This has been a major issue over the 30 years that I have been here as a student and as a teacher. Solid branding does not include whatever font someone wants to use. It is very distinct and again, memorable…”

Font was not the only issue in the representation of the district, but so was color.

“Color was no different,” Bowers said. “We had so many different colors being used within ‘our logos’. I can’t begin to explain how many different reds and blacks were being used. Now we have three choices. Period. It’s all about consistency. Again, this is what makes a bra

nd recognizable, respected and professional.”

For anyone looking to apply the logos, there is an official color scheme and font that has to be applied to any form of apparel or dress related to the school district to solve these issues.

However, there are already so many forms of Warrior apparel outside of the new logo as school teams, clubs and music groups developed their own designs during the period when no design was approved.

Bowers explains that the process is one that will inevitably happen over time, leading to a logo transition committee being created to help move the process along.

“We have discussed this [transition] in many meetings, including board meetings, the logo transition committee and just as a district,” Bowers said. “This doesn’t have to happen overnight. There are things that need to be replaced on a more frequent basis and those things will be the first to be replaced when needed. There are items and usages that can be replaced over time when needed and when fiscally responsible.”

Bowers is thankful for all of the involvement from his design students and fellow staff in the journey of creating the design and getting it approved.

“I truly appreciate all the students involved,” Bowers said. “I appreciate Mrs. McCullough and her students for working so hard in the initial stages and then all the students that had a hand in this branding process, in any manner, in my design classes. By far, this is one of the best real-world experiences that they could receive in a school setting. “

The official logo is now available on the SHS website for SYCSD families as well as on the Sapphire portal.

Warrior apparel with the new branding is also available through this link until midnight on Sept. 18.

As stated by the district, “All proceeds generated from spirit wear sales will be distributed to school activity funds for student use based on the amount of apparel purchased in support of the school and/or organization.”