Student’s Shirt Design is Right on the Money
A brand-new calendar year at Rowe Middle School means new beginnings…new classes on the horizon…and this year, a new fashion trend that’s already sweeping through the school’s hallways. And while students and staff haven’t been shy showing off the new-look Shamrock spiritwear, the eighth grader behind the new design is a little shy about sharing her creative motivation.
“I’ve always been a little bit into designing,” admitted 13-year-old Amelie Yamashita, “but I really just wanted the fifty-dollar prize.”
Lucky for her, Yamashita’s entry was right on the money with members of Rowe’s Parent Teacher Association, who received nearly 50 submissions as part of a contest to design shirts and sweatshirts showcasing the school’s annual theme.
“Every year the school has a theme, so we made it into a contest this year,” explained Rowe PTA President Amy Bohlmann. “The rules were pretty simple: It had to be completely student-done, it had to include a shamrock for Rowe, and it had to include this year’s theme of ‘Believe.’”
Yamashita decided to center her design around the school’s shamrock mascot while adding some inspirational words around each clover, including Confidence, Spirit, Courage, and Determination.
“I took inspiration from other designs I’ve seen when writing the words around the big shamrock,” said Yamashita, who has never taken an art class in her nearly three years at Rowe.
The PTA received many eye-catching entries, but Bohlmann said Yamashita’s simple yet very clever design stood out above the rest. “It was really hard to decide, but Amelie’s was just extremely creative with a lot of inspirational words and I just can’t say enough good things about it. I’m actually wearing her sweatshirt right now.”
Staff members like sixth grade Math teacher Tim Hays agree. “I think what I love most about it is that it exemplifies what our students believe about themselves and each other, and that’s what our staff beliefs are all about,” said Hays, who has proudly mixed the new sweatshirt into his weekly wardrobe.
After being awarded her own free sweatshirt, Yamashita sheepishly admits she already spent her $50 VISA gift card on a different hoodie she’d been eyeing for a while. “It’s not my design,” she laughed.
So what’s next for this fashion-forward thinker heading into her final months of middle school? She’s already looking forward to attending Milwaukie High, and says she’ll “maybe” enter another design contest in the future.
“I was a little bit surprised I was selected this time,” said the honest middle schooler. “But I would like to win another fifty bucks.”