Client: Lakeview Elementary School
Location: St. Cloud, Florida
Project: Dolphin Mascot & Community-Focused Identity
School Type: Elementary School
School District: Osceola County School District
Lakeview Elementary School, located in St. Cloud, Florida, is a small, community-focused educational institution with high academic standards and strong parental involvement. As part of the Osceola County School District, Lakeview Elementary serves young learners in a nurturing environment where close community connections enhance the educational experience and support student development.
The school approached our agency to develop a friendly, engaging brand identity centered around a Dolphins mascot that would connect to the school’s lakeside location while appealing to elementary-aged children. The identity needed to project warmth and accessibility while establishing a distinctive presence that would foster school pride and community unity.
Through collaborative discussions with school administration, teacher representatives, parent-teacher organization leaders, and community stakeholders, we established the following objectives for the Lakeview Elementary School Dolphins brand identity:
- Create a friendly, energetic dolphin mascot that appeals directly to elementary-aged children
- Develop a bright, welcoming visual identity system that reflects the school’s community-focused approach
- Design a versatile brand that functions effectively across educational and community contexts
- Establish a vibrant blue and gold color palette that creates strong recognition
- Build a cohesive identity that connects to the school’s lakeside location and name
- Create a system that balances playful appeal with educational credibility
Strategic Approach
Our research into elementary school branding, particularly for community-centered institutions, revealed the importance of creating identities that engage young children while reflecting the close-knit values of the surrounding community. The visual system needed to appear friendly and approachable while fostering a sense of belonging and local pride.
The dolphin was selected as the ideal mascot for several strategic reasons:
- Dolphins naturally connect to the “Lakeview” name through water associations
- Dolphins symbolize intelligence, playfulness, and community – values aligned with elementary education
- The friendly aquatic mammal appeals naturally to children while maintaining educational credibility
- The distinctive silhouette creates strong recognition even in simplified applications
- The mascot provides rich visual territory that works across various applications
The color palette of bright blue, navy blue, and gold was strategically chosen to:
- Create a natural water connection through the dominant blue tones
- Add warmth and energy through the complementary gold
- Create strong contrast for maximum visibility across applications
- Establish a distinctive presence within the school district
- Project both friendliness and educational substance through color balance
Design Development
Mascot Creation
The Dolphins mascot was developed with careful attention to both child appeal and brand versatility:
- The friendly dolphin profile creates immediate connection with young audiences
- The stylized treatment balances realism with clean graphic forms
- The playful expression communicates energy and positivity
- The circular navy background creates a natural framing device while suggesting water
- The dynamic pose suggests movement and enthusiasm
The final design features an engaging dolphin character centered in a circular badge with the “HOME OF THE DOLPHINS” designation curving along the top. The “LAKEVIEW” wordmark is boldly positioned below in a banner treatment, with “ELEMENTARY” as a supporting descriptor, creating a balanced composition with strong visual hierarchy and immediate appeal to elementary-aged children.
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