Teen’s graphic designs inspire logo
A South Fayette High School student provided the inspiration behind the township’s new logo.
Rachel Pollock, a junior who plans a career in graphic design, submitted 14 slogan and logo ideas to a contest she learned about from visual arts teacher Patrick McAndrew. The township held the competition for students to submit graphic ideas for the new logo.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to practice my design skills and exercise my passion for design,” Rachel, 17, said.
“I was inspired by the great sense of community South Fayette offers and what a large community it is becoming. I wanted my logos and slogans to reflect that.”
Township officials used her suggestions as a creative platform to give impetus to the final design. The logo combines the township’s initials in a square with curved corners. The white letters are surrounded by different shades of green. The logo contains the year the community was established — 1842 — and the slogan, “A Community Growing Together.”
“It made me really happy that my ideas were validated by a professional," Rachel said.
When she isn’t at the drawing board, Rachel is busy serving as secretary of the high school art club and participating in her high school Quizbowl Team, Model United Nations, Technology Student Association, student government and National Honor Society. She also volunteers with the middle school art club. Her academic workload includes AP and honors courses.
Her goal is to attend Carnegie Mellon University and major in communication design.
“I want to pursue a career that incorporates the interdisciplinary aspects of design. It is such a multifaceted field, and I love how it ties aspects of art, science, technology and psychology together,” she said.
She offered this advice for her peers: “Exercise every opportunity you have to learn. Be optimistic. Appreciate the awesomeness of life, and stay focused on the vision of what you want to become. If you have a genuine passion for what you are doing and work as hard as you can to achieve your goals, you will find that things will fall into place.”
She encourages parents to identify their children’s passions and back them.
“Let your children share that passion with you,” she said. “Being supportive of their dreams is one of the best things you can do as a parent, and I know this from all the support my parents have given me over the years. I could never be where I am without them.”