Both of West Hartford’s public high schools began the new academic year with new nicknames, and Conard has now finalized their logo.

By Ronni Newton

Conard High School has been known as the Red Wolves since the new school year began on Aug. 31, but as of Oct. 11 has a new logo to go with the nickname.

References to Conard’s former nickname were removed over the summer, with the only remaining signage featuring the red and gray shield that the school had been using since 2015. The brand new design was scrolling on monitors throughout the school Tuesday morning when students and teachers arrived.

Conard Principal Jamahl Hines said seniors Sophia Strange and Sophie Levesque played a major role in the finalization of the design, which was produced by West Hartford-based Go Agency. “They took every step so seriously, so professionally,” he said, as they met with GO’s CEO Chad Turner.

There were about 15 revisions before the logo was adopted, and both Strange and Levesque knew how to speak the “illustrator language,” to share how to incorporate suggestions into the design.

“From revisions, it went to a committee of teachers, students, office staff, and coaches,” Hines said.

“I am really excited,” Strange said Tuesday. “It’s super cool. It’s one thing to talk about the idea, but another to see every step of the process.”

Strange has taken all of Conard’s graphic design classes, and now helps out as a teaching assistant. She’s planning on studying something creative in college, like graphic design or photography.

“I liked collaborating with the graphic design team, being immersed in it, being treated like an equal,” Levesque said. Her background is more in painting and drawing, but she said there are many people in her life in the field of graphic design and she enjoyed being part of the process.

“We had similar ideas,” Strange said. The two are friends, and worked well together.

The final design was chosen in part because it could be adapted for different purposes – not just signage, but uniforms, merchandise, and other items. Just the eyes of the wolf can be used, and parts of the design can be incorporated into Conard’s “C,” Hines said.

It was also important to prominently feature Conard’s colors of red and gray.

“The kids were so good with the the process. They articulated their choice, captured what the red wolf would look like to best represent our student body,” Hines said.

Both Levesque and Strange are happy with the way the logo turned out. “There’s a certain feeling when I look at a project and I know it’s done,” Strange said.

Levesque said she really likes the eyes, and the simple design that will be able to be replicated on clothing. She said it was impotent to have a “straight on view.”

“It can’t be too cute looking, but it can’t look like it came from the Halloween store,” Strange said of finding the right level of fierceness.

There were four design concepts that were discussed throughout the summer and into early fall, Hines said, and ensuring it wasn’t too “cartoonish” was important. “It was a really thoughtful team effort, and I’m so proud that these ladies too it and ran with it.”

He was optimistic that the reception from the community would be positive.

“I’m looking forward to immersing the whole school in paraphernalia,” Hines said. Banners, t-shirts, and other items are being ordered now that the design has been finalized.

Both Strange and Levesque feel honored to have created a design that is so public.

“Honestly that was one of the first things I thought about,” said Strange when she volunteered to work on the project. “It feels so permanent.”

“It’s such an honor and a great lasting legacy that we can leave for the school. It’s great to be part of it,” Levesque said.

The red and gray shield with the letter “C” will remain in use for academic purposes, Hines said Tuesday. The school’s sign on Beechwood Road will not be replaced, and the gym floor and turf field, both of which have only a “C” in the center, will not be repainted at this time, he said.

When the fall sports teams began competition Sept. 8, both Hall High School and Conard High School had new nicknames, following a vote by the West Hartford Board of Education on June 7 to replace the Hall Warriors and Conard Chieftains with the Titans and Red Wolves respectively. The adoption of the new names, chosen in a process that involved significant student input, following a timeline that was established after the Board voted on Feb. 1 to retire the previous nicknames that many still considered associated with Native Americans.

The Hall Titans logo was unveiled just prior to the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

A lawsuit challenging the changing of the school nicknames was dismissed by a Superior Court judge last week.

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