CHS students design WNC soccer club logo

Carson High School Career and Technical Education graphic design III student Amanda Yau received $100 and a new tablet computer from Western Nevada College’s soccer club coach Ian Hill last week. Stella Carroll, a junior at CHS, submitted the second-place design winning a $50 gift card.

Yau’s design was selected from a pool of submissions from WNC and CHS student work, and will be used on club uniforms, hats, T-shirts and other branded materials. Carroll’s design also will be used on club materials.

“This was an interesting project and I’m very excited to have my design selected for the soccer club,” said Yau, a senior at CHS. “I’ve always loved drawing, and graphic design is drawing by hand and transferring to the computer.”

Lilly Leon-Vicks, WNC’s coordinator of student life and adviser for the Associated Students of Western Nevada, said the requirements of the competition needed to reflect the style of major league soccer teams in order to look professional.

“Amanda nailed it,” she said. “She got it right — the soccer ball with the Wildcat paw shows movement and strength. It’s simple and eye-catching.”

Leon-Vicks said the submissions were judged by local business owners, soccer club players and the ASWN.

Ian Hill, WNC soccer club’s head coach, said in addition to the initial award, Yau and Carroll will receive a 5 percent residual for up to six months on branded merchandise sales as part of the club’s efforts to provide opportunities for real world learning experience to students at the high school and post-secondary levels. Hill said the club will be a user-driven process, where students will provide service while learning in areas including graphic design, marketing, broadcasting and other areas as the club develops into a social enterprise.

“The best way to home-grow the talent needed for economic development in the region is fueled by aligning K-12 and post-secondary education,” Hill said. “The real story here is the amazing job the students did taking their abilities and talents and using it in a truly real-life work situation.”

Patricia Ababio, CHS CTE graphic design teacher, said seniors who pass a proficiency test in the coming weeks will graduate from CHS with nine college units in graphic design.

“These students have mastered the Adobe (software) skills required to be entry-level graphic artists,” Ababio said. “In all, 18 CHS students participated along with college graphic design students so it was very exciting that both of finalists were from CHS.”

Yau said she’s registered to attend WNC’s graphic design program in the fall, following in the footsteps of her aunt and uncle in Hong Kong, both graphic artists.

“Everything in my life is about design,” she said. “I’m excited to see where it takes me.”