The design competition, an annual event, invites high schools from across the country to compete for a $50,000 grand prize that would go to benefit the school’s arts education program.
To compete, each participating school created and submitted four unique designs that represent the Vans lifestyle, using Vans footwear silhouettes, by pulling inspiration from action sports, art, music and each school’s own “local flavor.”
“In the beginning we started with 300 schools,” Megan Klempa brand-activation manager for Vans Custom Culture explained, “and every year it progresses as we fine tune it to make it a little bit better.”
In its sixth year, more than 2,500 high schools across the country registered to compete from five regions: California, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast.
By voting for their favorite designs over a period of a few weeks, the public narrows the field from 2,500 contenders to 50 semi-finalists. From there, Klempa and her team identify the five finalists.
Vans recently revealed the five schools vying for the grand prize:
Carlsbad High School – California Region (Carlsbad, CA)
Parker High School – Northwest Region (Parker, SD)
Circleville High School – Northeast Region (Circleville, OH)
Foothill High School – Southwest Region (Henderson, NV)
McCracken County High – Southeast Region (Paducah, KY)
Students looking to increase their chances of being a finalist next year, take note: “Standout schools hone in on the best materials to communicate their idea,” Klempa shared. “A main and determining factor is who had the most creative concept, in a way that it’s instantly identifiable.”