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Artist has luck of the Irish

By Tim Unruh

Salina Journal

CHAPMAN -- What he knew of Chapman's Fighting Irish spirit following a tornado in 2008, and a flap with Notre Dame University last summer, prompted artist Dante Nickel to enter a contest to find a new logo for the high school.

The stay-at-home dad, who lives near Wichita, received a plaque and a T-shirt Friday night as the winner of the contest. Nickel, 46, said he wanted to help Chapman find a new image that the schools could carry on.

"I'm just humbled really," Nickel said Friday as he prepared to travel to Chapman.

His design was one of four finalists that were presented to students, faculty, staff and community members. In a close vote, "not a clear choice by any means," Chapman Superintendent Lacee Sell said, Nickel's design was the winner.

"There were some awesome designs," Nickel said.

In fact, he said, his winning design wasn't his favorite.

The entry listed as No. 4 on the ballot, more of a cartoon character, was his personal choice.

"I figured that would be the one to win it," Nickel said.

Voting ran from Jan. 10 to 20, and the results were to be announced Friday night between Chapman's boys and girls varsity basketball games against Concordia.

Sell didn't provide the voting breakdown, saying it wasn't important. After tallying student votes, there was one winner. Another emerged from the faculty and staff voting.

"When we tallied the community's vote, their votes matched one of the others," Sell said.

Only she and two others -- Chapman High School Principal Kevin Suther and Assistant Principal Shane Sundahl, were aware of the results. Through noon Friday, the secret was safe, despite some subtle nudging from school board members to divulge the decision.

"It's been on the down-low. It's been so interesting," Sell said.

Plans called for Sell to be joined on the gym floor by building principals and board members.

After a short speech to thank the community and school for supporting the process, plans were for either an assistant principal or a member of the student council to remove the cover of Chapman's placard in a display of North Central Kansas League members, showing the winning logo with the slogan "Chapman Fighting Irish." A similar unveiling was planned for a sign in front of the scorer's table, Sell said, with the logo and the words, "Home of the Irish."

Barring some massive effort to change the logo again, she said Nickel's image is the mascot for the entire school district. The old logo that's painted on the middle school gym floor will be removed.

Nearly 1,500 votes were cast from Chapman's 1,080 students, faculty and staff and the community, Sell said, as well as "an extensive number of alumni," many of whom live throughout the nation.

"Everybody had the opportunity to vote. I hope it can be supported and appreciated," Sell said Friday afternoon.

"It's been quite a lengthy process for our school and community," she said.

The logo change was necessary after Notre Dame University demanded last summer that Chapman schools stop using the university's "fighting leprechaun" mascot. Chapman had used it as its own for more than 40 years.

The university in South Bend, Ind., informed the school district this past summer that the leprechaun is a federally registered trademark and forbade the school from using the "fighting leprechaun" mascot or the term "Fighting Irish" on T-shirts and other items meant to be sold. Terms such as " Chapman Fighting Irish" are permitted, Sell said.

T-shirts with Nickel's design were to be thrown into the crowd during the boys' game, Sell said, and more will be sold later.

The district launched a contest this past fall, calling for a new mascot. In late December, a local committee picked the four finalists from 78 entries.

Next, the district showed the finalist images to Notre Dame officials, who took no issue.

Nickel learned of the contest through media reports, and felt some angst toward Notre Dame. Fighting Irish was a rallying cry in 2008 when much of Chapman and its schools were ravaged by a tornado.

"I just didn't like how the whole thing turned out. They were just hit by a tornado," Nickel said.

His goal was to reflect the spirit that Chapman exhibited in the aftermath of the tornado, which required that many homes, schools and businesses be rebuilt or extensively repaired.

Nickel received no compensation for the logo, just the satisfaction of being a part of the process.

"I remember all the footage about the tornado going through there, and I kind of went back and revisited some of the clips on YouTube," Nickel said. "I kind of reflected that in the logo with a grit in his teeth and a 'stand up to anything' attitude. Hopefully it will serve them proud."

-- Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by email at tunruh@salina.com.

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