Client: Sunrise Elementary School
Location: Kissimmee, Florida
Project: Seastar Mascot & Elementary Identity
School Type: Elementary School
School District: Osceola County School District

Sunrise Elementary School, located in Kissimmee, Florida, is dedicated to academic excellence and providing a well-rounded education for young learners. As part of the Osceola County School District, Sunrise Elementary serves as a foundational educational institution, nurturing children during their formative years through engaging curriculum, caring faculty, and a supportive learning environment.

The school approached our agency to develop a vibrant, child-friendly brand identity centered around a Seastar mascot that would resonate with elementary-aged students while establishing a distinctive presence within the district. The identity needed to project warmth and positivity while creating immediate recognition and school pride among young learners and the broader community.

Through collaborative discussions with school leadership, faculty representatives, parent committee members, and district advisors, we established the following objectives for the Sunrise Elementary School Seastars brand identity:

  • Create a friendly, approachable seastar mascot that appeals directly to elementary-aged children
  • Develop a bright, engaging visual identity system that inspires young imaginations
  • Design a versatile brand that functions effectively across educational and community contexts
  • Establish a vibrant blue and gold color palette that creates immediate recognition
  • Build a cohesive identity that fosters school spirit and community connection
  • Create a system that balances playful charm with educational credibility

Strategic Approach

Our research into elementary school branding revealed the importance of creating identities that genuinely engage young children while providing the institutional credibility expected by parents and the community. The visual system needed to appear friendly and approachable while supporting the school’s educational mission.

The seastar was selected as the ideal mascot for several strategic reasons:

  • The seastar creates an immediate phonetic connection to the “Sunrise” school name
  • The star shape naturally suggests achievement, brightness, and aspiration
  • The marine creature offers rich visual territory for friendly, approachable styling
  • The five-point structure provides natural visual stability and recognition
  • The character can be rendered in ways that appeal directly to young children

The color palette of royal blue, bright gold, and light blue accents was strategically chosen to:

  • Create a vibrant, energetic presence through the dominant blue background
  • Add warmth and positivity through the golden seastar character
  • Create a nautical feel with the complementary blue tones
  • Establish a distinctive presence that stands apart from other elementary schools
  • Project a bright, optimistic aesthetic appropriate for young learners

Design Development

Mascot Creation

The Seastar mascot was developed with careful attention to both child appeal and brand versatility:

  • The friendly, anthropomorphic seastar face creates immediate connection with young audiences
  • The simplified, cartoonish treatment balances character with clean graphic forms
  • The expressive features (eyes, smile, arms) provide personality and warmth
  • The circular background creates a natural framing device while suggesting an ocean setting
  • The character design communicates positivity and enthusiasm

The final design features a friendly seastar character centered in a circular badge with the “SUNRISE ELEMENTARY” designation curving along the top. The “SEASTARS” wordmark is boldly positioned below in a banner treatment, creating a balanced composition with strong visual hierarchy and immediate appeal to young children.

Read our Ultimate School Branding Guide.

Everything you need to know to create a kick-ass school brand that creates results.

Lean More