Shepard High School has introduced a new mascot logo, giving the community an official visual identity to represent the Astros while maintaining the long-standing block “S” that students and alumni have come to know.
Located at 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., the school unveiled the new logo at the start of the school year, marking the first time in its history that Shepard has had an official mascot design. While the block “S” will remain in use, Principal Dr. Timothy Baker said the new design provides clarity and unity for the school’s brand.
“The logo wasn’t necessarily changed,” Baker said. “We never had an official mascot logo. I went through all 48 yearbooks and looked for one, and the only consistent representation we had over the years was the block letter ‘S.’”
For decades, different variations of rocket ships appeared on banners, yearbooks and athletic gear, but none became synonymous with the school.
That changed when Community High School District 218 hired a graphic design firm to create a new district-wide logo system, including updated visuals for each of its schools. Shepard’s steering committee — made up of alumni now employed in the district, veteran staff members and other stakeholders — was tasked with shaping the mascot design.
Before any sketches were finalized, Baker surveyed students, staff, parents and alumni with one question: “What is an Astro?”
“We got some very creative answers,” Baker said with a laugh, “but the overwhelming majority of responses said, ‘an astronaut.’ I shared that feedback with the designer, and that’s when we really started to bring the mascot to life.”
The resulting logo features a stylized astronaut helmet with several symbolic elements. The star in the helmet’s visor draws inspiration from Shepard’s original founding logo, while the “S” on the side of the helmet mirrors the athletic branding that has represented the Astros for decades. Two orbiting circles surround the helmet — the orange circle represents current students, and the white circle symbolizes alumni staying connected to their school.
However, the process wasn’t without challenges.
The initial design from the firm didn’t resonate with the committee. Baker said they went back to the drawing board, consulting online references, seeking creative input and even testing AI-generated ideas. The breakthrough came when the committee pitched the astronaut helmet concept.
“We made another round of suggestions and ultimately decided on the mascot logo we unveiled at the start of the school year,” Baker said.
For the Shepard community, the new logo carries meaning beyond aesthetics. Baker said having an official mascot logo strengthens the school’s identity and creates consistency for branding, athletics and apparel.
“It’s great to have an official mascot logo,” Baker said. “Creating a brand will help with recognition in the community. There’s no longer ambiguity surrounding ‘what is an Astro.’”
The early response from students and alumni has been enthusiastic. At the school’s first home football game of the season, Shepard sold more than $1,000 worth of apparel featuring the new logo.
Baker said designing an astronaut logo posed unique challenges compared to more traditional mascots.
“Astronauts are a particularly challenging mascot because they don’t have any facial expression,” he said. “If you have a bulldog, you can snarl the mouth or squint the eyes to change the expression. With an astronaut, we had to be more creative to capture the spirit of the school.”
While the block “S” remains an enduring symbol of Shepard pride, Baker said the new astronaut logo gives the Astros a fresh identity for the future.
I love the new logo & identity! Keep up the good work staff of Shepard High School