Totem Pole Logo Needed: Craft Our School's Native Legacy

Nisqually Middle School

Nisqually Middle School is a public school serving more than 800 6th- to 8th-grade students in Lacey, Wash. It is one of the older schools in our community, first opening in 1967, so there are a lot of proud alumni in the community as well as currently enrolled families. Target Audience is parents/families, students, staff and community members.

Please see logo brief attached for more important info!

A key physical feature of Nisqually Middle School is a hand-carved totem pole near the front entrance named Children Playing Among Teachers. We would like the logo to reflect the totem pole, which is a symbol of unity, tradition, and pride to represent relationships or commemorate ancestry, history, stories, people, beliefs, experiences, events. Ideally the logo will include the animals listed below.

Students researched the history and purpose of totem poles and chose animals that are part of our geographic area and reflect the qualities that fit with students’ values:

Bear: strength, humility, motherhood, teaching, protection. Nisqually Tribal elder Billy Frank shared that the bear represents the women of Nisqually.

Eagle: strength, leadership, prestige, and a symbol of America.

Whale: family, goodness, communication.

Salmon: dependability, renewal, a provider.

Moon: protector and guardian of the earth by night