A Salina Unified School District 305 student is proud after her design was chosen to wrap the district’s new activity bus, which was unveiled Friday.
Karlyn Brecheisen, a junior at Salina Central High School, won a contest held by the district last year.
Brecheisen’s design was created as a final project in Kelley Jones’ Design 2D class.
“I made multiple designs and restarted the project two or three times, trying to get every little detail right,” Brecheisen said. “Knowing that our design could possibly be on the buses that our schools were going to use was definitely a lot more exciting.
The district said over 130 students from both Central and South high schools created sketches. Student designs were judged on graphics, readability, color, creativity and originality, concept and technical requirements and the projects were narrowed down to five designs and voted on by district staff members who served as judges.
The students had to use district logos, branding for both high schools and following specific requirements.
“Trying to fit the design with the strict rubric while making it my own was difficult,” Brecheisen said.
After her design was chosen, COVID-19 halted the process temporarily, and in August, Brecheisen collaborated with a graphic design house to get the final design for the buses.
Brecheisen said seeing her design on the bus for the first time was a surreal experience.
“When I started the project, I never expected to be able to win,” she said. “When I found out, (it felt) like … just documents on a paper, and now it’s actually here and it’s actually really cool.”
Kris Upson, executive director of maintenance and operations unveiled the bus Friday at Central High, next to Salina Stadium and said three more activity buses will be available and wrapped for the district to use.
“I’m told the second one is about halfway wrapped now,” Upson said.
Upson said the wrap was done by E Graf-x in Wichita.
District Superintendent Linn Exline spoke presented a certificate to Brecheisen and said she was proud with how the district chose the design.
“We are really excited that one of our own students did this design, it makes it even more special,” Exline said.
The bus’s first trip for the district was Friday as well, carrying the Central High football team to their away game in Andover.
“Central is able to take this one on its maiden voyage and we’re hoping South can take the next one that’s done on it’s maiden voyage,” Exline said.