This spring held a very exciting opportunity for junior (senior now), Kareem Smith. In Smith’s Graphic Design 2 class, Mrs. Singalewitch proposed a challenge to her students, to create a pin used for honor roll achievements.
Students in Colonia High School who work very hard to achieve honor roll in each marking period, receive a certificate and a circular silver pin in award for their dedication and hard work to maintain good grades. Many students receive this certificate at the end of each quarter and are able to pin their awards to their lanyards.
The certificates just acknowledge the achievement but the pins are another story. They have color: gold and dark blue and read “Academic Excellence,” unlike the plain certificates.
Up until last year, the pins had a design sent in by administration. Last year, the pin was designed by (juniors at the time) Heer Petal and Kareem Smith. The pin was silver and navy, with a design of the school at the bottom, and the words “Academic Excellence” written in cursive under the words, “Colonia High School’ and a torch and two strands of a plant. Once, the pin was made, it was given to students at the end of the marking period.
But during last year, Smith, who was a junior at the time, was sitting in his Graphic Design 2 class in about March, when his teacher proposed a challenge to his class. The challenge was to design and create a new honor roll pin. Smith was very excited, “I got to work quickly; to be able to design a pin that everyone could wear everyday, would truly be amazing.”
He began by drawing his idea on a piece of paper, taking him about a week. Once he had a design, he copied it into the computer with the help of his Graphic Design teacher. He then cleaned up the edges and put the colors into his design; the gold outlines, the dark blue background and the white in the pages of the book.
After he had finished, Ms. Singalewitch had sent all the designs from Smith and his fellow classmates in to Ms. Murphy, who chose Smith’s design as the winner. Smith was very excited and happy to be able to represent the school he loves in his design. Ms. Singalewitch was quite happy too, “I was very proud of Kareem, he worked very hard and was really excited about this opportunity; his design was truly outstanding.” Pictures of the design were sent in over the summer. The pins with the winning design came out today, January 2, 2018 for students who with Honor Roll for marking period 1 of the 2017-2018 school year.
The pin is circular with a dark blue background. “Academic Excellence” is on the top in golden and black letters. The white book pages contain the letters, “CHS” and with the “C” emblem and golden plants.
Overall, Smith was very excited to have this opportunity to design something that his fellow students could wear every day to represent their school and their achievements. Smith, who got a pin today, is very thankful for the opportunity and is excited to see what future students create and design.
