By Ryan Spoehr
SLN staff
A new logo has been created for the Eagle Police Department with some input from a possibly unsuspecting place.
The logo was created via a contest at Palmyra-Eagle High School. The contest winner, freshman Jenna Johnson, was recognized in a special ceremony in the art classroom on Tuesday.
“I was surprised. I didn’t think I was going to win,” Johnson said, adding that she didn’t think she would win because she is “not the best.”
However, she can now say she is the best out of a field of approximately 30 local high school students.
“I wanted it to do something different. I wanted to incorporate the eagle,” Johnson said.
The previous logo was in use for 13 years.
“I think it was time. I thought, ‘Let’s upgrade our look. Let’s still incorporate that American image and the eagle. We were looking for the ‘Village of Eagle’ and things of that sort,” Village of Eagle Police Chief Gregg Duran said.
The winning entry submitted by Johnson is a badge that says, “Police Village of Eagle WI” in a badge. There is also an eagle that has wings that are also the stars and stripes of the American flag.
“I was super excited. This was all hand-drawn,” said Cynthia Zuknik, the art teacher in the district.
Johnson received a certificate of appreciation signed by Duran
Money was donated to the department to give participants of the contest gift cards. Johnson received a Subway gift card. She also received a $50 Michael’s gift card for art supplies for being the winner.
“I appreciate the involvement of the community. It’s important to go to our young people and have that kind of input. I think it’s really valuable,” Duran said. “This was really hard. This decision was really, really difficult. I’m really proud of this. This is awesome.”
Duran said the patch with the new logo is on order and will be in use shortly. It will also be incorporated in media releases issued by the department.
Duran said hopefully the logo will be around long enough for Johnson to tell her grandkids that she designed the logo.
“I think it’s going to be around that long and stand the test of time. I am really, really proud,” Duran said.
This was the first time Johnson ever won an art contest like this, she said. She plans to continue art throughout her high school tenure and beyond when she goes to a college or university.
“I like drawing and painting,” Johnson said.
The Police Department also received entries from the Mukwonago School District.
