Now that the hoodies for North Atlanta High School’s Class of 2025 have been distributed, seniors are now able to show off its unique design. However, this design and the production weren’t made entirely by a third party company. Instead, it came from North Atlanta’s very own graphic design teacher, Shirley Guiteau, and her students! Created in their own classroom, the process of how the senior hoodies came about went through an interesting process of brainstorming, printing, and pressing.
While researching what usually sells among students, Guiteau was first inspired by a design that just had “Class of 2025” with “Senior” written on top of it. This posed an important question: How can this have an aesthetic appeal and make a memorable statement without it being too busy? Her graphic design students gave answers to this question with constant feedback on behalf of North Atlanta’s seniors. For example, the addition of a reflective, puff vinyl sword between the number 25 was an idea that was later hand pressed onto each hoodie design. However, before production was able to start, it needed to get the senior coordinator, Jenna Robinson’s permission. “The first step in the process,” Guiteau said, “is to always get the design approved.”
What’s a project without a good team? Along with those giving feedback, there were many students working in different areas of production. Advanced students qualified to operate the necessary machinery had to use their DTG printer to emit the applied DTF vinyl paper. Around 15 students were needed to peel the vinyl paper and weed it in with tester hoodies before being officially applied. Others, meanwhile, were designing, printing heat pressing, and delivering all of the hoodies. While the graphic design classes have never created the previous senior hoodies, they have worked on various other designs including mugs, license plates, tote bags, and more. “We were presented the opportunity to showcase our skills,” Guiteau said, “and we ran with it.”
The Class of 2025 hoodies were designed with the idea of recognizing the seniors, and valuing how far they’ve come. It’s made to be a sentimental keepsake, and a look back on their time at North Atlanta High School. Though each senior will have a different experience in school, they get the same hand pressed, peeled, and printed vinyl that their own classmates have made. The unique decision for the graphic design department to be in charge of creating this year’s senior hoodies has brought recognition to the work of both their students and the entire class of 2025.
