The design and distribution of the 25-26 spirit shirts wrapped up during the first week of school. Lead artist Olya Karpenko began work with the school administration back in May. She added chic flair with DIS lettering on the front and she gave the school mascot, Glider, a makeover. Glider appears small on the chest and large on the back. Last year featured a green color scheme and flying jets, so after a short hiatus, Glider flies again

Following last year’s success, the headmaster opened the floor to young artists again to push for more innovation. “Mr. Jolly announced to art students that we can try to make the design and one will be chosen for the official spirit shirt. I wanted something unique and since I am still finding my style, and I wanted the fox to be a design that most people don’t think of,” Karpenko said.

Karpenko’s vision veered from the previous design by Class of 2024 graduate Christine Park. “I wanted the shirt to be different from last year’s. I noticed that there was an emphasis on the Jets and I decided to put the emphasis on the fox. The three letters of DIS that are going down the front were inspired by my favorite Russian artist since it is a similar font to what is in their logo,” said Karpenko.

Marketing Specialist Ms. Katie Kim facilitated the handout of the shirts. “It worked out really well and I just finished distributing it to all the students today. A lot of students loved it. And then because it’s 100% cotton, most of the students wanted to pick a slightly bigger size than theirs,” Kim said. 

Students appreciated the fresh design and suggested room for larger clothing. “Last year’s design was nice, but this one feels more modern and clean. Maybe having different style options in the future, like long sleeves or oversized, would make it even better,” said sophomore Jayden Lee. 

Glider captures the energy of a fresh start. Seventh-grader Tracy Kim said, “Compared to last year I think this year’s design is much cuter because it has our school symbol and the material that the shirt is better for wearing especially when we play sports.” Students will keep cool in the airy cotton of the 25-26 spirit shirts.