A logo contest was recently conducted at Greater Johnstown High School with the goal of promoting Type 2 Diabetes prevention through lifestyle changes. The contest, which was sponsored by the 1889 Jefferson Center for Population Health Conemaugh Health System as part of the Communities in Schools initiative, was open to art students at Greater Johnstown High School, whose art teachers served as judges.

Nineteen students worked on the logo design project, according to Tricia Patula, commercial art teacher at Greater Johnstown High School. Some students worked alone, and others worked in pairs.

The winning design (pictured above) was created by Cassidy Carthew and Jade Adams, who are both 10th-graders, and features the phrase “Healthy People Make Healthy Communities” in a heart, along with several icons representing healthy living.

“The contest was beneficial in a few ways – first, our school nurse came and presented to them about Type 2 diabetes. This is important information for my students, as some of them have a family history of the disease,” Patula said. “Most importantly, they had the opportunity to work with a real client, which is a wonderful learning experience – especially when their work will be used for a purpose. They are extremely proud when a project like this will be reproduced and used in our community.”

The members of the winning team each received a prize in keeping with the healthy theme of the contest: their choice of a FitBit Charge 3 or a Schwinn Sidewider Bike.

The 1889 Jefferson Center for Population Health, which was a sponsor of the contest, announced a focus on type 2 diabetes prevention in summer 2018. The organization is currently working toward implementing a community-wide intervention against the disease in Cambria and Somerset Counties.