Vote on your favorite banner for downtown Batavia
Every two years, Batavia MainStreet works to design seasonal banners to be placed on light poles in downtown Batavia.
This year, MainStreet is teaming up with Batavia High School graphics design students to create the banners for the 2014-2015 seasons, and you can vote for your favorites and help decide the featured designs.
“I thought this project was a wonderful idea,” said Bernice Schopf, Bulldog Graphics teacher at the high school, in a news release. “(It) gave the students at Batavia High School an insightful look into what their future holds if they choose to go further into graphic design.
“This project also gave the students the opportunity to learn how to be creative within given specifications from the client. This is an exciting opportunity for the students to showcase their work to the community as well as a great opportunity to build their portfolios or resume.”
Batavia MainStreet, in turn, has enjoyed partnering with the high school.
“MainStreet is thrilled to be working with Batavia High School for our 2014-2015 banners,” said Joi Cuatero, Batavia MainStreet executive director. “We are committed to engaging our community through efforts like the Banner Project to enhance our downtown.”
Students designed up to three banners, and most of them reported enjoying the challenge.
“The banner project was a great way to get experience for actual graphic design jobs in the real world,” said student Lauren Tollios. “It’s something that could possibly be hung up on Main Street for the whole town to see and that’s pretty neat.”
“The Banner project gave me a good experience, and a chance to express what I believe the community to be,” said Colby Green. “Being able to do this project for a town I grew up in made it all that much more fun.”
“I thought it was a great opportunity to have a professional project in my portfolio and also knowing that people might pick my design over the others,” said Hunter Nott. “It’s a great sense of accomplishment.”
“There were a lot of moments where I found myself smiling while creating a new design,” said Colton Christianson. “It was a lot more fun when the creativity flowed and I made something I’m proud of.”
How to vote
Winners will be chosen by a combination of Facebook likes and an ad hoc judging committee. Online voting via Facebook ends at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. To vote, visit the Batavia MainStreet Facebook page; click on the album called “Banner Competition” and “like” the pictures of your choice.
The judges will rate each banner, and that rating along with the number of likes the banner receives on Facebook, will determine the three banners to be produced and displayed throughout downtown Batavia in the spring, summer and fall.
Sponsorships
Businesses can purchase the banners that will be displayed with their business name/logo on a sponsor panel attached at the bottom of the banner. For details, call Batavia MainStreet at (630) 761-3528 or visit www.downtownbatavia.com/banners.