The greatest designers in the world had to start somewhere.
For a Berkshire Middle School student with aspirations to one day work for one of the most recognizable companies in the world, designing a high school logo is a good start.
During Thursday’s Olentangy Local School District Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Mark Raiff revealed one of Berlin High School’s new logos will be the work of eighth-grader Kali Bateman.
After learning her logo had been chosen and will be trademarked, Bateman said she is considering a career in digital design.
“I would like to work for Disney,” she said.
A professional design firm will help Bateman put the final touches on the logo before it’s prominently displayed throughout the district’s fourth high school when it opens to students for the 2018-2019 school year.
Raiff said the logo won’t be the high school’s only one. The athletic department will have its own trademarked logos.
He added that Bateman’s logo was chosen as the result of a design contest, which the district coordinates every time a new high school opens.
Public Information Coordinator Devon Immelt said 16 students set to attend Berlin High School submitted their ideas about what the new logo should look like.
Through a survey sent to the homes of future Berlin attendees, the 16 logos were narrowed down to the top three vote-getters, which then went head-to-head in one final vote.
In the end, students selected Bateman’s logo, which features a roaring Bear head contained within a light blue “O” and a “Bears” banner stretching below the “O” and into a “B.” In August, the district revealed Berlin’s mascot would be the Bears, and its colors would be Olentangy blue — a common color useed by all schools in the district — and light blue.
“Kali’s logo retains the prominent interlocking letter theme the district’s other high school logos feature while also making use of the bear mascot and school colors in a creative and unique way. It is a great way to represent Berlin pride and will be an integral part of the school community,” said Berlin High School Principal Todd Spinner.
