Top Graphic Design Award Goes to BHS Senior
She started out creating a logo for her parents’ landscaping company when she was 11. Fast forward seven years, and Batavia High School design student Haley Stein is the “VALEES 2018 Graphics Student of the Year.”
“Haley nailed it, and won!” said BHS Graphic Arts Teacher Kathleen Tieri Ton.
Mrs. Tieri Ton accompanied Haley to the Valley Education for Employment System’s (VALEES) graphic design competition, which included Batavia High School, Oswego East High School, Oswego High School, Indian Valley Vocational Center, and Fox Valley Career Center. One student from each of the five VALEES area schools presented their interpretation of a design challenge—along with their portfolio—to a selection committee comprised of design professionals. Haley represented BHS, and took home top honors!
The design challenge this year was a response to a record label’s design brief, asking for a logo, business card, letterhead, website home page, promotional poster, stickers, apparel, and “any other ‘swag’ or ‘merch’ you can think of.”
In addition to creating these pieces and presenting her portfolio to the selection committee, Haley and the other participants had to complete a 45-minute technical project in front of the selection committee and handle an interview situation.
After the VALEES competition win, Mrs. Tieri Ton invited Haley to her Graphics II classroom to share competition experience and record label portfolio with second-year graphic arts students.
“When I started setting up and saw all the other students’ designs, I got really nervous. They were all really good,” said Haley to Graphics II students. “It was intimidating presenting in front of all the judges, but I knew what inspired me throughout this project, and I think I was able to convey that confidently. It was fun!”
According to Mrs. Tieri Ton, the judges liked Haley’s logo because it was versatile, yet classic. “They said it could have been created 20 years ago, and you wouldn’t know it.”
The judges also really liked Haley’s concise answers to their questions about her design and how she caught the personality of the “client” from the design brief, which each participant received in March 2018 to start the competition.
Haley’s portfolio for the 2018 VALEES design competition.
Graphics II students reviewing Haley’s portfolio.
Haley with BHS Graphic Arts Teacher, Kathleen Tieri Ton.
This fall, Haley said she plans to study graphic design at Columbia College in Chicago and is considering a minor in graphics management.
Her strength is identity design, which is evident in the record label challenge. Mrs. Tieri Ton recognized this and tapped her to design this year’s BHS Fine Arts Festival Poster, the logo for the BHS Pride Alliance Club, covers for the BHS Music Department programs, branding for the BHS Culinary Arts Program, and signage for a park in Chicago with two other BHS design students, Erin Gray and Ryan Seaver.
Haley is currently enrolled in the BHS Graphic Design “Independent Study” course. Next school year, a new course, “Graphic Arts: Studio” will be offered to BHS students in addition to Independent Study.
According to Mrs. Tieri Ton, Graphic Arts: Studio was developed to help BHS students like Haley choose a learning pathway related to their post-secondary interests in design: Advanced Design and Illustration, Production Technologies, Printmaking, Community and Client-based Design, and Portfolio Development. Each pathway ensures students develop advanced graphics-related skills that will support transition to college or entry-level work in the field of graphic communications. Mrs. Tieri Ton said this new course will include design for real clients to bring life and meaning to each of the learning pathways.
Congrats to Haley and best wishes at Columbia College!
