Building a district brand rooted in community and growth
Licking Heights Local School District was undergoing rapid growth and change. The school board identified a need for a brand that could better reflect the district’s evolving community while honoring its history. This included developing a new identity system, renaming several schools, and creating a strategy to bring the community along through the process.
ClientLicking Heights Local Schools
ServicesStakeholder Research & Insight Gathering
Strategic Brand Positioning
Naming Strategy (Schools)
Logo & Visual Identity Design
Brand Implementation
Insights
To understand the district and its future direction, we spoke with a wide range of stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, board members, parents, and students. These conversations revealed a strong sense of pride in the district’s history, along with a desire to embrace growth and diversity.
Strategy & Identity
The brand strategy centered on growth, opportunity, and possibility. The tagline, Go Higher, captures the district’s commitment to helping students reach their full potential.
I played a key role in translating these insights into a visual identity system that reflects both tradition and progress. The system was designed to feel unified across the district while allowing flexibility across schools.
As part of this work, we also developed a naming strategy for several schools. Each name was carefully selected to reflect the surrounding community and landscape, reinforcing a sense of place while supporting the district’s long-term vision.
Results
The rebrand created a more cohesive identity across the district and better reflects its evolving community. A new logo and visual system were implemented across district materials, supported by a communication strategy to introduce the brand and build stakeholder support.
New school names were introduced alongside the updated identity, helping support future growth while maintaining a connection to the district’s roots.
Through a collaborative process, Licking Heights now has a brand that reflects both its roots and its continued growth.
