The origin of the District Five apple logo

Teachers in Lexington-Richland School District Five have many talents, and for one elementary teacher, that talent led to the design of District Five’s ‘d5’ Apple logo.

Nancy Davis, a second grade teacher at River Springs Elementary, began teaching in 2006. During that same year District Five released an open call for a new logo design and encouraged employees to submit their best efforts. Davis sketched out several ideas before picking her favorite and little did she know, 10 years later, the logo she designed would be the brand for School District Five.

“The logo represents District Five with both an apple and a ‘d5,’” Davis said. “I wanted something meaningful about schools and the ‘d5’ combined into something simple, versatile and bold.”

Prior to becoming an elementary teacher, Davis worked as a graphic designer. She began her career at several advertising agencies in Raleigh and Nashville, before working freelance for thirteen years. Her designs have awarded her a CLIO and an ADDY Award.

After relocating to South Carolina, she began substitute teaching and fell in love with being in the classroom. She was inspired to pursue a career in teaching and went back to school to receive a Master of Arts and Teaching in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina. “I just loved being in the schools; I was a big volunteer when my kids were little and I just loved being in them,” said Davis. “To me it’s just a happy thing to do every day.”

Davis has also designed the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) logo and the newest River Springs Elementary School logo for District Five. “It’s pretty awesome to know that I’ve branded our District. I’ll see trucks go by and have stationary on my computer with the logo so it’s pretty great to see my logo everywhere. It’s just been fun to be the one to design that for us.”