I thought I would share a story about Rāwhiti School in Christchurch. It's a school taking great strides forward as they endeavour to 'rise up', out of the rubble of the past, with a brand new name, a brand new vision, and a brand new logo! In early 2015 I was asked to help bring this logo to reality.

Rāwhiti School is a merger of Central New Brighton School, Freeville School and North New Brighton School. In preparation for their opening in 2016, school leaders asked if I would help develop a new logo for them that encompassed their unique nature (as a result of the merger) and try to capture the essence of the type of school they desire to be moving forward.

They began with the statement below.

Rāwhiti School desire to be 'a shining example of educational excellence in the east of Christchurch'.

New Brighton is a suburb in the eastern side of Christchurch. The word "Rāwhiti" in Māori means "east" or "eastern". The logo symbol is a sun rising, as it does, in the east. The three koru shapes symbolise the three schools that came together, as a result of the merger, to form Rāwhiti School.

A large percentage of Māori students attend Rāwhiti. School leaders asked me if the logo could have a contemporary Māori cultural feel. This is shown in the koru sun pattern (which has a slightly carved or crafted look) and is complimented by the organic feel of the typeface used for the name. The bold new colours, orange and purple, were chosen for the uniform so as to be completely different from the past. A fresh start.

Rawhiti School New Style Guide Brighton New Zealand

Rawhiti School Uniform New Brighton New Zealand

This is the first major rebuilding project in this part of Christchurch after the devastating earthquakes of 2011. The school is literally 'rising up' out of the old. It's a new beginning - one filled with excitement and a sense of pride for where they're heading in the future.

The Rāwhiti School community would like their school to be a beacon of educational excellence in the Canterbury Region. "Rising Above the Ordinary" is a fitting motto.