Institutes

'Well-Rounded Geek' Wins Logo Contest
November 12, 2008

CHOICE IT Specialist Patti Bonezzi taps Niceville junior Connor McKelvey, who looks up to see Nancy Hale of the Florida Virtual School coming towards him.

Hale congratulates McKelvey, whose logo design beat out over 70 other designs and won praise from the marketing department of the online school.

McKelvey, Hale and Bonezzi stand before the logo, which is still displayed on the website of the Florida Virtual School.

Niceville HS CHOICE IT student Connor McKelvey created the winning logo for an election initiative at the Florida Virtual School. His logo was selected from a pool of 73 entries.

Florida Virtual School American History Instructor Nancy Hale and CHOICE IT Specialist Patti Bonezzi surprised McKelvey during his Networking II class Wednesday afternoon. Hale congratulated the junior, and handed him a bag full of promotional items from the school.

According to Hale, who retired from Choctawhatchee HS two years ago, McKelvey's logo matched perfectly with the colors and style of the school.

"The marketing team at the Florida Virtual School actually wanted to hire Connor," Hale told the class. "They went to his website and were very impressed."

Hale initiated the contest as a way to involve students in the election. She and a team of ten instructors created a series of online student activities that revolved around the debates and the election.

McKelvey's logo was among the top ten designs which were sent out to approximately 50 instructors to vote on. "We had some excellent logos," said Hale, who was surprised to learn that the state winner lived only "fifteen minutes away."

McKelvey took Personal Fitness online, in order to make space in his schedule for his IT courses. "It gave me the motivation to exercise," he says of the course, which has both written and exercise components.

He is currently taking Networking II and Web Design IV, a class which he takes after school as an "eighth period." He has earned four national industry certifications so far, and plans to take five CHOICE IT courses next year.

When asked which side of computer technology he prefers, McKelvey paused and said he was not certain.

"He's a well-rounded geek," laughed Bonezzi.