Grade 11 Student Wins SCWI Logo Design Contest

In this season of celebration and renewal, student Tommy Beke and his teachers have much to celebrate! Tommy is a grade 11 student at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School in Guelph. There, he has had the good fortune to follow a lifelong passion for design in a design and graphics program offered by Chuck Temple, a teacher, designer, illustrator and author who runs a unique course for students in partnership with the M & T Printing group in Guelph.

At the urging of his instructor Tommy, an SHSM student, entered a contest to redesign and update the logos used by SCWI and IJECT across all print media and platforms that support the dual credit initiative.  His winning designs are shown above. With clean and simple lines, they spell out Dual Credit and at the same time, symbolize the sense of linkage and cooperation that anchor strong communications between schools, colleges and industry throughout the province.

Having created the English logo, he was surprised to discover that its French equivalent required some modification. His revision of the original to include an “R” was inspired. The awards ceremony brought SCWI project officer David Armstrong to congratulate Tommy personally, along with the Wellington Catholic DSB Coordinator for Grand Connections, Sue McPhedran, and an enthusiastic group of students.

The graphics program at Bishop Macdonell is the result of the partnership between teacher Chuck Temple, and entrepreneur Dean Froome at M&T printing group. Students are rapidly moved into the high-pressure world of professional graphic design and printing, where creativity and technical expertise work under tight timelines for the completion of projects. This partnership has been so successful that owners Mike and Dean Froome have added a 20-station classroom space and computers at one of their many offices, where students can move directly into an experience of the real working world. It’s a partnership borne of a passion for young people, excellence in design and opportunity shared by Froome and Temple, and facilitated by principal of Bishop Macdonell, Holly Conway.

Tommy says: …“as a kid, I always liked art, and when I got my first laptop, I moved into the graphic design side.”  Temple’s program allows students to specialize in client-based work, creating real jobs for real people on a deadline. The program designs much of the print work used throughout the school to promote activities and opportunities. Teacher Chuck Temple’s background as a professional illustrator has helped forge professional connections and allowed him to place his students in real-world environments. In recent months, the program received a gold medal from Skills Canada.

Tommy’s success mirrors the opportunities created everywhere by these remarkable partnership and linkages that spring from SCWI,  IJECT, SHSMs, and apprenticeships. Above all, it shows what committed educators at all levels are accomplishing daily to support students in their aspirations and dreams.