GrEEn Day 2009
Caring and Connecting Our Communities, One Footprint at a Time

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http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200907240600/EDUCATION/907240304

Central Jersey teen's winning graphic reflects theme of GrEEn Day fair

By LAURIE LEVOY • STAFF WRITER • Courier News • July 24, 2009

GREEN BROOK — This year's annual GrEEn Day Environmental And Energy Fair will have its own custom-designed, official logo to help spread the word about energy and environmental conservation awareness.

Alexa Nelson's winning graphic — a leaf unmistakeably drawn to resemble a footprint — will be visible on the bags, T-shirts, posters and advertisements Green Brook, Warren, Watchung and Long Hill residents will start to notice in the fall as the October event approaches.

Nelson, who just graduated Watchung Hills Regional High School and is bound for Penn State University to perhaps study communication disorders and graphic design, entered her design this spring school semester to the GrEEn Day Challenge Logo Design Contest.

The high school art competition was a collaborative effort of the four neighboring communities who for the past two years have participated in GrEEN Day, an event established by the Green Design Group, an advisory board on green initiatives which reports to Green Brook Township Committee.

Nelson said she created her leafy footprint to reflect the theme of the fair: Caring and Connecting Our Communities, One Footprint at a Time.

"Keeping with the contest theme, I envisioned a foot being the main feature of the logo. And because it's connected to being "green' and conserving the environment, I also imagined a green leaf as a prominent aspect. I decided to combine both ideas to make a foot also look like a green leaf," Nelson said.

Steven Speeney, a WHRHS Arts Department teacher, who said he was proud of all the graphic design students who participated in the contest, noted that "Alexa's logo delivers the GrEEn Day organization message in an exiting way," Speeney said.

The annual fair, which has expanded its scope each year to raise awareness about conservation and to educate about sustainability and recycling.

Participating municipal officials worked with school leaders in each respective district to ask art teachers to promote the contest. Green Design Group member David Patti said the GrEEn Day Joint Committee hopes to hold another logo contest next year.

Following the submission of 33 logo submissions, the designs were whittled down to the top 10, said Sue Jain, GrEEn Day event director. Ten judges then gave their scores in the categories of creativity of design, relevance to theme, uniqueness and appropriateness as a logo.

Nelson also will receive a $100 gift certificate from The Warren Showcase magazine, which also will publish their interview with Nelson. Her logo will be prominently featured in an exhibit at Watchung Arts Center, along with the other top logo submissions.