Client
Cypress Elementary School
Location
Kissimmee, Florida (Osceola County School District)
The Challenge
The Problem: Cypress Elementary School, a public elementary school in Kissimmee serving hundreds of students, needed to refresh their Falcons mascot and create modern cohesion across campus materials. The existing brand lacked the professional quality and consistency required to unify signage, spirit wear, athletics gear, and administrative communications. Staff and teachers were creating their own versions of Falcons artwork from various sources, resulting in a fragmented visual presence that did not reflect the quality of education happening inside the building.
The Impact: Without a unified Falcons identity, the school struggled to build the visible community pride that strengthens family engagement and student belonging. Spirit wear was limited because the existing artwork was not production-ready for professional vendors. The campus exterior lacked branded identification that would signal investment and pride to visiting families, and the inconsistent visuals made it difficult to create a cohesive experience across classrooms, hallways, and outdoor spaces.
Our Task
Develop a complete Falcons brand identity system that would:
- Modernize the Falcons mascot while honoring the school’s existing tradition
- Create a circular crest format that works across signage, apparel, and print
- Strengthen community pride and family engagement through professional branding
- Provide vendor-ready files for consistent reproduction across all applications
- Work for both young elementary students and parent-facing communications
- Establish a distinctive Falcons presence within the Osceola County district
Strategic Approach
Our research into elementary school branding, particularly for institutions with strong community focus, revealed the importance of creating identities that engage young students while establishing meaningful connections to the broader community. The visual system needed to appear both energetic for children and credible for parents and community stakeholders.
The falcon was selected as the ideal mascot because falcons symbolize vision, perception, and achievement, qualities that align directly with educational goals. The bird of prey offers natural associations with focus, determination, and reaching new heights, while the distinctive profile creates a strong, immediately recognizable silhouette across all applications.
The color palette of royal blue, bright gold, and white was strategically chosen to create a bold, energetic presence through the complementary blue and gold combination. The strong contrast provides maximum visibility across campus signage, spirit wear, and printed materials while projecting both vibrancy for students and credibility for community stakeholders.
Design Development
The Falcons crest features a striking falcon head profile centered in a circular badge with the “CYPRESS ELEMENTARY” designation curving along the top. The bold “FALCONS” wordmark is positioned below in a banner treatment, creating a balanced composition with strong visual hierarchy and immediate appeal to elementary-aged children. The dual wordmark system allows flexible use across formal and spirited contexts.
The system was deployed across six primary touchpoints:
- Campus facade: Mounted crest on the building exterior for community-facing identification and curb appeal
- Spirit wear: Caps, hoodies, t-shirts, and apparel featuring the Falcons crest in royal blue and gold
- Interior wayfinding: Blade signs on dark panels for corridor and reception identification
- Student gear: Backpacks, notebooks, and everyday items with brand-consistent artwork
- Athletics equipment: Drawstring bags, water bottles, and PE gear with the Falcons mark
- Administrative materials: Branded binders, letterhead, and official school documents
Results
The Falcons identity gave Cypress Elementary a cohesive, professional visual presence that unified every student and family touchpoint. The refreshed brand replaced years of inconsistent artwork with a single, bold identity that appears across the campus facade, hallways, classrooms, and spirit wear. Families responded positively to the professional quality of the merchandise, and the campus signage created immediate curb appeal and community recognition. The unified Falcons brand strengthened school pride and gave Cypress Elementary a distinctive presence within the Osceola County district.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grade levels does this brand serve? The Falcons identity was designed for an elementary school environment, with a mascot character that appeals to young students while maintaining the professional quality expected by parents and community stakeholders.
Can this brand system work for athletics and PE? Yes. The crest and standalone falcon mark are designed to work across PE uniforms, field day gear, drawstring bags, and any athletic or competitive context the school participates in. The bold royal blue and gold palette creates high visibility on the field and in the gymnasium.
How does this brand strengthen community connection? The professional Falcons identity creates a visible symbol of pride that families, staff, and community members can rally around. The consistent presence across campus signage, spirit wear, and school events builds recognition and engagement throughout the broader Kissimmee community.
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