Last month, Cascadia Elementary School issued a challenge to its students: design and draw a new logo for the school. More than 40 students threw their hats in the ring, doodling a variety of emblems featuring the school’s Gryphon mascot. 

At the end of February, each class observed the 44 new logos and cast their votes. Eventually, a winner was chosen: second-grader Lili Rose. Lili’s colored-pencil logo is literally global in scope, depicting a gryphon spreading its wings over the planet Earth to create a crest. Around the earth, she wrote “Cascadia Gryphons: Protectors of the Future.” 

“I think it was powerful that she chose that, that she thinks of herself and her peers in that way,” said Cascadia principal Kelly Parsons. “They are the future, and she can see that and understand how important that is – and obviously her peers felt the same way, since they voted for her.” 

Lili, a 7-year-old, said she really enjoys drawing and aspires to be an artist. “It inspires me,” she said of art. 

Parsons told Lili that it was impressive that she was able to win the contest despite being a younger student. She noted that many older students, who might normally vote for the friends in their grade, voted for Lili’s design instead. 

“Some of the kids don’t know who you are yet, and they voted for you because your art was so powerful,” Parsons told Lili. 

As a prize for winning the logo contest, Lili received a sketchbook and high-quality drawing materials, so she can continue her art pursuits. Her logo will also be put on T-shirts and other Cascadia-themed merchandise, and Lili will get one of those items for free. The second- and-third place winners in the contest from grades K-2, along with the artists with top three logos from grades 3-5, also earned sketchbooks and drawing materials. 

Parsons said she was unsure if Lili’s logo will become the permanent new Cascadia Elementary logo. But for previous student logo contests, the winning designs have been used on school merchandise and even Math Olympiad t-shirts, she said. 

Fifth graders in Cascadia’s voluntary leadership program came up with the idea of the logo drawing contest, said Parsons. 

“They wanted to see students shine in another way besides academics and sports,” she said.