‘An epiphany’: The man behind North High’s new logo shares how idea took flight

To create a new logo for North High School, Bill Gardner had to look at the school in a way he never had before.

He knew North and its Redskins mascot. He had spent hours there as an “overly involved” student — basketball manager, student government vice president, Latin club president plus drama, debate and forensics — before graduating in 1975.

So when the Wichita school district decided in 2021 to change the Redskins mascot, after a committee appointed to study it found the term offensive to Native Americans, he wanted to help.

That’s how he came to be sitting at the table in January with students, alumni and school officials, brainstorming what a logo for the new mascot, RedHawks, could look like.

Gardner, who owns the longtime Wichita design shop, Gardner Design, has done work for hundreds of clients over the years, including some schools.

But North High was different. In addition to his personal history there, the school had its own rich history tied to Native Americans.

There was a consensus that the group wanted to pay homage to that history while shedding any negative connotations.

Riffing off RedHawk, they also threw out terms like “freedom,” “flight,” “feather” and “soar to new heights.”

But what could a new logo look like? How could it honor the past and the future, at a time when not everyone wanted to embrace the change?

First, the group looked back. Then, Gardner looked up.

Paying homage to the past

North has very distinctive architecture, based on the area’s history.

“The Indian theme used throughout the design of the building is more than a matter of choices – the Indian was responsible, indirectly, for the founding of North High School,” the school district website says.

Wichita Indians migrated from Oklahoma to what is now the Riverside area of Wichita in the midst of the Civil War, according to the district. Eventually the Army and white settlers arrived and a small school was founded on the site where North is now.

Decades later, when Wichita began to outgrow its one high school, that site was chosen for its second.

Plans were drawn up for the new high school that would be built along the Little Arkansas River, according to an Eagle article from July 1929.

“It was the idea of architect, Glen Thomas, to embody the history of the west in the friezes and panels as well in the architecture of the building,” according to Eagle archives.

Thomas recruited sculptor Bruce Moore, an East High graduate. He created terra-cotta friezes for the exterior of the school that included Indian figures and a buffalo hunt among others.

“Everything that was done at North High was done specifically at an extreme cost to pay homage to the heritage of the area and the Native Americans,” Gardner said.

“From my perspective, it is hard to move away from the architecture of this building,” he said. “It was crafted in such a way that they showed the utmost respect for Native Americans.”

‘It was an epiphany’

Gardner toured the building inside and out. He also studied drone photos of details not easily seen from the ground.

That’s how he noticed the birds, 16 stylized sculptures high up on North’s signature tower.

“It literally was this kind of epiphany,” Gardner said. “You know, you’re hoping that you could find something that really was authentic to the school that would allow you to create this story.”

Gardner said he always assumed that there were birds on the tower, but that it was hard to know without looking at close-up images.

“It’s incredible to think it had been waiting for us for 100 years to kind of see it up there,” he said.

Adam Anderson, the senior art director and designer at Gardner Design, saw what Gardner did.

“It was kind of like ‘holy crap, this has been here this whole time?’” Anderson said. “It’s almost like a gift that’s given to you, like ‘Here’s an idea that’s just so perfect and you couldn’t think of anything better.’”

‘Almost like it was destined’

From there, the Gardner design team got to work. They researched other eagle/hawk-like logos used by sports teams, in order to see what had already been done as they prepared to make something specific to North.

“These are really well-crafted logos,” Anderson said. “But they don’t, in and of themselves, say anything unique to the organization or the school they’re representing.”

He used the Prairie Art Deco style of the school to design a piece that took elements from the terra-cotta statue’s wings, tail feathers, chest patterns and beak.

“We wanted to keep the essence of what was going on here… to tie back the symbol of the bird and the feather,” Anderson said in February. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now and we’re pretty excited about it.”

Later, the stakeholder group met to see the logo.

“What they presented to us was amazing,” said Stephanie Wasko, the North principal. “The mascot logo really came together and embodies the rich history and past of this building.”

Like Gardner, Wasko hovered on the idea that the birds sat on the tower all those years, waiting for someone to notice.

“It’s almost like it was destined,” Wasko said. “It is kind of strange that it would end this way but then you realize this connection to the building and why it was important and how they tie it.”

“This building is beautiful,” she said.

‘We’re still North’

Several members of the stakeholder group say the new logo is a step into the future of the school. They hope that in time it will become part of North’s storied traditions.

Like other Kansas schools in the midst of changing a mascot name or logo, North had its fair share of people who did not want to see the old name disappear.

That resistance was most noticeable from alumni, who Gardner said approached him during talks of moving away from the name.

“To a degree, I think it was because they thought I would be able to maybe come in and maybe help them salvage the Redskins,” Gardner said. “I try to avoid becoming a ‘lighting rod’ in projects, you know, it’s not about me — it’s about the school and the community.”

“And so I avoided getting involved … until it started to cool down from the boil that it was in the beginning,” Gardner added.

Wasko, who has been principal at North since 2020 but also taught at the school for a decade starting in 1993, led the charge on the mascot change.

She said she felt it was the right thing to do.

“I’m hoping that in time the individuals who don’t want the mascot to change will come to the understanding of why we did this,” Wasko said. “It doesn’t change the memories or friends they made here or the fact they’re a proud North High graduate.”

Dal Domebo, who is in charge of the school district’s Native American Education Program and represents families of Native American students, said the topic had been discussed for decades.

He was a part of the district committee that discussed the possibility of a name change initially.

“We went through everything … the history of North High, the mascot name and its significance,” Domebo said. “We wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a snap judgment or decision.”

Eventually, the school board unanimously voted to drop the Redskins name.

“There was a policy within the bylaws of the district that says no school should have a name or mascot that’s derogatory or offensive in any way,” Domebo said. “All we suggested was that the board adhere to their own rules and adhere to their own guidelines.”

On Thursday, the logo was unveiled at a North pep rally along with a performance by the school’s band and a video by Method Productions highlighting the school’s tower.

The cheer team performed the War Cry dance and unraveled the paper wrapping on the gym floor.

Roars echoed through the gym as the students saw their RedHawks mascot for the first time.

Gardner took a moment to gaze at what he and his team had created.

“When we take a look at this logo associated with a product that means so much to me and was such a part of my history,” Gardner said, “it’s probably one of the best feelings ever.”

Wichita Council Member Maggie Ballard, a North alum, attended the reveal.

“Some of my friends that joined me, we actually got a little emotional about it,” Ballard said. “We’re just excited about this new era of North High.”

Domebo, like Wasko, said the mascot name change doesn’t erase the memories thousands of students have made over the school’s nearly 100-year history.

Domebo noted that his mother and several friends are North High graduates who have fond memories of their time at the school.

“We’re not taking away memories or removing the trophy from the cases,” he added. “We’re still North.”