After months of anticipation and weeks of buildup on social media, the Columbia School District released its new logo last week. 

“The design is strong,” Columbia High School Principal Brian Reeves said. “ It works well with print layouts… and it is simple enough for embroidery purposes.” 

CHS first announced its intent to rebrand at the January school board meeting, where Reeves outlined four reasons for the rebrand, including that the various principals have used at least six different logos, a new logo allows the school to differentiate itself from others with the same eagle logo, it lets school groups have one logo and it gives the community a way to proudly support CHS by displaying the logo. 

Reeves also explained that his goals for the rebrand are that it would provide an adaptable logo, give sports teams flexibility in uniform purchases, inspire other Columbia schools to create a more kid-friendly version of the logo, generate revenue for the school and booser organizations and help foster a sense of community in the school and town. 

“We are not eagles. We are Columbia’s Eagles,” Reeves said at the time.

The idea was that the younger grade levels could use a softened version of the logo if they chose or simply use the same one. So far, the district and each school is using the same logo as CHS with only the text changed.  

The school decided on the new logo from among over 200 possibilities from more than 60 designers after it held a mascot design contest online.

It used a focus group of students from each student club or organization within the school to help decide on the logo.

“These students are the faces that you see at every CHS event,” Reeves said. “They live and breathe blue pride, and we knew that if they did not embrace the proposal that the project would end there.” 

The school also had a committee of long-term coaches and alumni staff for feedback. 

Both the student and staff committees then voted on the new logo. 

The eagle chosen was the “overwhelming winner.” 

The total cost of the logo contest was just under $650. 

The new logo is also on the newly refinished gym floor at CHS.