Industry
Afterschool Care
Client
Reisterstown United Methodist Church
SAIL Logo & Branding
SAIL Logo & Branding
Creating a Safe and Welcoming Identity
SAIL is an after-school program hosted by a local church that offers middle schoolers a safe and supportive space after classes. When they reached out, the organization had no existing branding, only a name and a vision. The challenge was to design a logo that reflected their welcoming, community-driven mission without leaning too heavily on religious imagery. Through early conversations, I learned that SAIL’s focus wasn’t to teach religion, but to create an environment where faith and friendship could naturally coexist. My goal became creating a brand that felt open, uplifting, and family-friendly.
SAIL is an after-school program hosted by a local church that offers middle schoolers a safe and supportive space after classes. When they reached out, the organization had no existing branding, only a name and a vision. The challenge was to design a logo that reflected their welcoming, community-driven mission without leaning too heavily on religious imagery. Through early conversations, I learned that SAIL’s focus wasn’t to teach religion, but to create an environment where faith and friendship could naturally coexist. My goal became creating a brand that felt open, uplifting, and family-friendly.
Strategy, Symbolism, and Process
I began with a collaborative moodboard focused on calm, uplifting imagery inspired by community, light and growth. Janice and her team circled keywords that resonated and added their own, helping define the tone together. I sketched in black and white to ensure the mark worked in both single-color and full-color applications. The final logo combines three elements: sun, wind, and waves, representing warmth, movement, and growth while forming an inviting, hug-like shape. The brand guidelines outlined the organization’s purpose and visual system, showing the logo’s grid construction, variations, and examples of use in clear, approachable terms.
I began with a collaborative moodboard focused on calm, uplifting imagery inspired by community, light and growth. Janice and her team circled keywords that resonated and added their own, helping define the tone together. I sketched in black and white to ensure the mark worked in both single-color and full-color applications. The final logo combines three elements: sun, wind, and waves, representing warmth, movement, and growth while forming an inviting, hug-like shape. The brand guidelines outlined the organization’s purpose and visual system, showing the logo’s grid construction, variations, and examples of use in clear, approachable terms.
Bringing the Brand to Life
I extended the identity across a range of touchpoints such as t-shirts, lanyards, water bottles, yard signs, stationery, and wristbands, giving SAIL a cohesive and approachable presence. I also set up Canva templates to make ongoing updates easier for their staff, ensuring the system worked beyond just the design phase. Seeing how excited they were to finally have a logo that reflected their purpose was rewarding, but even more meaningful was knowing it would become something kids and parents recognize for years to come. This project reinforced my belief that thoughtful, tailored design can make a lasting difference in how communities connect and see themselves.
I extended the identity across a range of touchpoints such as t-shirts, lanyards, water bottles, yard signs, stationery, and wristbands, giving SAIL a cohesive and approachable presence. I also set up Canva templates to make ongoing updates easier for their staff, ensuring the system worked beyond just the design phase. Seeing how excited they were to finally have a logo that reflected their purpose was rewarding, but even more meaningful was knowing it would become something kids and parents recognize for years to come. This project reinforced my belief that thoughtful, tailored design can make a lasting difference in how communities connect and see themselves.
