glencoe high school
Founded in 1980, Glencoe High School is the 2nd oldest high school in Hillsboro.
challenges
Awkwardness aside, the Tide Guy's face and fists give off a menacing feeling that works for sports, but not so much when used for Glencoe's child care program. Luckily, Glencoe's letter mark provides a professional alternative. The only thing about the "G" is that it doesn't feature any of the school's characteristics, especially when produced without color.
Design Note: One drawback using line based graphics, like the Tide Guy, is scalability and the awkward contrast you get when you go from black to white - it's kinda jarring. That's why it's best to test what things look like in all-white so you can make adjustments, if possible or you can provide alternative logotypes.
Additionally, the two marks can lead to some confusion. People unfamiliar with the school may not make the correlation that these are the same organization. This is because, out of context, the two marks look entirely different. The Tide Guy is stylized and abstract, while the "G" is bold and simple.
research
Unfortunately, I couldn't to find out who came up with the mascot or the "G." In general, it was pretty difficult to find anything regarding the school's branding and history. However, I did find out a few things. In an article from tusculoosanews.com published in 2011 it states that, "The team is called the Crimson Tide because the school is located close to farmland where clover grows in the fields, giving them a reddish tint. When wind comes through, the fields look like a red wave, giving birth to the nickname."
Because I couldn't find much more about the school, I decided to research Glencoe's history. Thanks to Wikipedia, I learned that Glencoe was founded in 1842 by Charels McKay. A Canadian immigrant, who used to work for the Hudson's Bay Company as a fur trapper and who also fought in the Cayuse War. He named the area between North Plains and Hillsboro, Glencoe after Glen Coe in Scotland, in honor of his father's Scottish roots.
Next, the mascot. Because the area was named after a place in Scotland, I decided to learn more about Glen Coe and Scottish lore for inspiration. That's when I discovered the many creatures in the Scottish Highlands and the Glen Coe Massacre. Two ideas that stood out to me were the dragons of the Highlands and the Highlanders. Although, not the most common creature in Scottish lore, I found that dragons were used as a symbol of strength, courage and royal power. The Highlanders on the other hand were tough and resourceful.
