Noami Balderas
Thornton Fractional North High School
Student Design: County Stars
Noami Balderas
Category: Student Designer
Bennett Pascal
Noemi Lopez
Alejandra Navarette
Ryan Bradley
Julia Gamboa
Jesus Ramirez
Deahyvon Jones
Caleb Braziel
Molly Armbruster
Joshua Givens
Rayn White
Leo Angelini
Leo Angelini
Oak Park and River Forest High School
he/him/his
Student Design: The Cook County Sunrise Flag
- How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
This flag represents the unique makeup of Chicago, and showcases its beauty and strength. I wanted to create something that was a symbol of unity, since Chicago is a part of my life and millions of others. - Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I decided to join the contest as an assignment for my design club. However, I only accepted the task because I thought it would be so cool to design the official Cook County flag. - What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I learned cook county has a lot of commissioners. - Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
Working with my mentor was always interesting and engaging. He created a billion ideas off of my original design, that we somehow had to simplify into a worthy flag. Even the smallest details, like the specific hue of the shapes, was constantly up for debate.
Allison Lemmon
Allison Lemmon
Evanston Township High School
she/her/hers
Student Design: The Lakeview Flag
- How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The part of my flag that represents me the most is the blue element representing Lake Michigan. The lake is one of my favorite things about Cook County and is a place I have spent a lot of time at, so it is one of the first things I knew I wanted to incorporate into my design. I feel very lucky being able to live right by one of the lakes that is part of the largest concentration of fresh water in the world by area. - Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I initially submitted my design to the competition because my graphic design teacher reconstructed one of our projects to fit the contest and had us submit our designs. After being selected I thought it was such a cool and unique experience that I was very excited to be apart of. - What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
One fact I learned that made it into my design is that there are 6 regions of the county. - Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
It was very interesting to collaboratively work with a professional on this flag. Coming into the process I had only taken 1 semester of graphic design which ended up getting cut short because of Covid. It was very cool to be able to work with a professional and bring my ideas to life.
Jaime Fregoso
Jaime Fregoso
he/him/his
Student Design: The Freedom Flag
- How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
My flag is called Freedom, because as an LGBTQ+ cisgender Latino, freedom is very important to me. Without freedom, we can’t be ourselves and be happy. - Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
Because I want to express my creativity, and I want everyone to notice me and see that I have value. - What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I learned that all of the things on the Cook County flag mean something. - Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
My flag mentor is E-B Martinez. Because of COVID, we had to send a lot of emails to each other. But it always felt like we were working closely, because E-B’s emails were always enthusiastic and filled with lots of energy, encouragement, and great suggestions.
Charlye Hunt
Charlye Hunt
Alan B. Shepard High School
Student Design: Strides of Cook County
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flag I designed shows the layout of Cook County and how everyone is connected somehow through it. I designed it this way because I think unity between people is very important in working together and building a better cook county.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I decided to join this competition because it’s doing something for Cook County. It helps everyone feel more united if they can have a flag they can recognize as their own.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I learned many things about Cook County. When I first went into this project I knew basically nothing about cook county itself. After doing this project I learned how cook county works together and things cook county prides itself on.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s). (3-5 sentences)
When I did the collaboration I felt welcomed to share my own ideas and thoughts on how to combine my flag with someone else’s. Our meetings were quick and to the point which I liked. My mentor was very kind and so was my partner.
Edward Carr II
Edward Carr II
he/him/his
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flags I designed represent me because I care about hope, harmony, and freedom. If we have those things, Chicago and Cook County will be peaceful and strong.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I decided to join the Flag 2021 competition because I’m a good artist, and I want to show my pride in Cook County through my art.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
Something I learned about Cook County that surprised me is that there are six regions in Cook County.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
I remember the excitement that Faiz Razi had when he told us how much the committee liked my “Harmony” flag design. That made me feel good. I worked hard on it and it made me happy that the committee liked that design.
Angela Almanza
Angela Almanza
she/her/hers
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flag I designed showcases who I am through its simplicity and meaning found within. It shows I care about being inclusive to all those in our county and what we are known for.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I decided to join the Flag 2021 competition to present my abilities in design and find a new new flag for our county. I wanted to gain the knowledge of mentorship and design while also doing something good and beneficial.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I learned Cook County values its environment and forest preserves while also putting the justice system above all.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s)
I enjoyed working with my flag partner and mentor and feel I gained a lot from this experience. My mentor, Bill Gatewood, would provide encouraging advice and commentary on the designs my partner and I would present to him. He always tried to make us think outside the box and just let ideas come to reality to see what would work and what would not. We strove to focus on the importances of what makes Cook County so diverse and manifested it into our designs.
Alex Calabrese
Alex Calabrese
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The design reflects my connection to where I live. It emphasizes the pride I feel in my county and country.
2.Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I have always enjoyed designing flags for fun, and this was a good opportunity to participate in that.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
The emphasis of the County as a center of trade and commerce was not something which I included originally, but developed as an important aspect.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
The incorporation of a central five-pointed star was not something I had originally planned on. My original design was significantly simplified, but my mentor believed that incorporating more aspects would improve the design. It was fun to try out different aspects and symbols before settling on the final design.
Tim Mellman
Tim Mellman
he/him or they/them
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about? (2-3 sentences)
The flag I designed is representative of both the county’s national pride and its diversity — its three colors of red, white, and blue make up not only the American flag, but the plurality of country flags around the world. It is mathematical, with relative dimensions measured exactly to ensure equal margins, and also flexible and adaptable into everything from social media profile pictures to virtual backgrounds, or even could be applied to create a county brand system. Likewise, as a proud Jewish American, I am both patriotic and diverse, and my tendency to put great effort into the smallest details reflects the mathematical and adaptable nature of the design.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition? (2 sentences)
To put it simply, I joined the Flag 2021 competition because I am fascinated by flags and vexillology, and am also a graphic designer in my free time. I also loved the idea that I could contribute directly to my community and have a lasting impact.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you? (1 sentence)
Prior to my research, I had no idea that Cook County has an official county flower, the purple coneflower — it was one of the models for the iconic red wheel, which I had initially designed in orange to match the center “cone” of the coneflower.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s). (3-5 sentences)
I am so thankful for the opportunity to work with Josh Witherspoon, a designer and advertising creative director at VSA Partners! I met with Josh several times over the collaboration portion of the competition and worked on making variations to the design live through Zoom screen sharing. Josh encouraged me to mock up a series of variations that ultimately enabled me to fine-tune the key elements of my design. His input was incredibly valuable, and while most of the changes between my initial design and final design were refinements, Josh’s advice was not just incredibly helpful in making an altogether more cohesive flag and design system, but also taught me the best ways to revise a design through experimentation and variations centered on a few core elements.
Christian Garcia
Christian Garcia
Bloom Trail High School
he/him/his
Student Design: The Cone Flower of Cook County
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flag I have created represents one of my visions for an ideal world. I wanted my flag to reflect Cook County’s resources and its progress towards a brighter future.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I wanted to join the 2021 flag competition because I thought it would be a great opportunity to allow me to connect with my home. Cook County has many areas I was never able to experience firsthand, and I wanted to learn more about Cook County, I also love to design and edit graphics on my computer in my free time.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I was surprised by the fact that Cook County’s official flower was the Echinacea, which gave me an interesting challenge as I originally designed my flag around another well known flower native to Cook County, the Allium Triocum, causing changes in the shape of the petals of the flower of the flag.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
My flag mentor, Daniel Chodrow, was very helpful in providing constructive advice for me to improve the design of my flag, he also helped me ensure that my flag reflected the county as accurately as possible while at the same time maintaining a unique and interesting flag design. As I was designing my flag I knew that I wanted to represent Cook County using a flower, which I see as a metaphor for unity. For this purpose I designed the flower of the flag around the Allium Triocum, a relatively well known flower in Cook County. When I was almost ready to submit my flag design, Mr. Chodrow suggested that I design the flower around Cook County’s official flower, the Echinedea, best known as the Coneflower. In hindsight, the Coneflower proved to be a much better flower for expressing unity within Cook County, as the thirty townships and the city of Chicago were much more equally represented thanks to the size of the petals in comparison to the uterus of the flower, and I have Mr. Chodrow to thank for that.
Sofia Hogue
Sofia Hogue
she/her/hers
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
My flag represents the land and waters of Cook county. I’m big on nature so making something related to what our county was built on was really important to me.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I joined the flag contest because it was a part of my school’s graphic design class curriculum. I wasn’t expecting to get anywhere with it but here we are!
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I mainly learned a lot about the nature of Cook county, but the thing that surprised me most is that Cook county is the second most populated county in the country.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
My process was really interesting because I had never worked with a mentor before in my work. I thought I was just going to be tweaking and perfecting my design, but it turns out I ended up making at least a 100 different flags with varying levels of adjustments. Though we ended up loving my original design with slightly different colors the most of all.
Josh Lipman
Josh Lipman
Evanston Township High School
he/him/his
Student Design: Standing Together on the Shore of Excellence and Equity
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
I am a sophomore studying mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and I am passionate about the environment and climate issues. I plan to pursue a career where I can develop technologies that solve problems and make the world a healthier and more sustainable place to live. The flag I designed represents my commitment to the environment and a healthier planet by using bold green and blue background stripes to highlight the County’s important land and water areas, including its vast forest preserves and rivers, canals, and Lake Michigan shoreline, which we all need to conserve and protect.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
My high school graphic design teacher Mr. William Simos recommended that I join the Flag 2021 competition. I decided to join the competition because I thought it would be a fun opportunity for me to strengthen my creative design and communication skills and be a part of Cook County history.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
When researching Cook County, I was surprised to learn that it has one of the oldest and largest forest preserves in the United States which protects 77,000 acres of public land and provides a huge variety of recreational opportunities for the public, including hiking and biking trails, sledding hills, cross-country skiing, golf courses, boat launches, aquatic centers, fishing, campgrounds, and even a zipline and adventure park.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
I first met with my flag mentor/partner, Jim Kelly, the Executive Creative Director of closerlook, inc., on Sunday, December 6, 2020 after the Chicago Bears game and over Zoom. Jim encouraged me to think outside of the box and not limit my design possibilities by initially trying many different design ideas. We talked about some basic design principles and how each individual part and color on the flag I designed should have a purpose in order to communicate a message about Cook County. Jim also recommended websites with color selection tools used by designers, which was very helpful as I am color blind. After narrowing my design options and agreeing on two final design ideas with Jim, I selected and finalized my best flag design idea along with the description of the design.
Drew Duffy
Drew Duffy
Glenbrook South High School
he/him/his
Student Design: The I Will Banner Flag
- How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
I have a variety of interests and this flag reflects several topics which are important to me. I love spending time in nature on the North Branch Trail and that was a big inspiration for my flag, as seen with the Y mimicking the river, path, and forest. I also am a firm believer in the power of protest and the social change that can occur which is what the bold red star symbolizes. - Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
When I was younger, my Mom bought me a book of flags where I matched all the countries in the world to their flags and I have been fascinated with flags since then. Look no further than Chicago to see how a well-designed flag can become intertwined with a place’s culture and civic pride. - What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I never knew about the progressive work done by women from Jane Addams’s Hull-House and the many ways they impacted the justice system, like pushing for the world’s first juvenile court system. - Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
I was so lucky to work with one of Cook County’s incredibly talented graphic designers, Martin Burciaga. When I first met Martin, I knew we were a great match because of our shared love of history and passion for this project. At first, all I had was a marker-drawn sketch on a notecard. Martin used his amazing skill set to tweak and transform the flag into the beautiful image you see today. Martin and I made a great team for this project and I am really proud of our work!
Cyrill Reyes
Cyrill Reyes
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
Our flag designs are influenced by the Northern Cardinal, Illinois state bird. The Cardinals are very resilient to a lot of things so I thought that the Cardinal would be a great representation of our county, especially during the past 2 years.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I wanted to join the flag competition because I really wanted to try my hand at something big in life. I saw the flag as an opportunity to leave some sort of legacy that my generation made.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I learned that Cook County is the 2nd most populated county in the U.S.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
On the day we first met up and introduced ourselves, our mentor, Lisa, gave very helpful insight on what the judges had commented on our flags. Gabe, my partner, shared his flag which had good ideas that I thought would be worthy to add to the final product. From there, we recognized the weaknesses and strengths of our designs and began making concepts together and individually on our own time. Weeks passed and after spending time after zoom calls thinking deeply about what we were gonna do, and playing around in gimp and Illustrator, Gabe and I eventually created 2 flag concepts that encompassed the best of both of our initial flags. Thanks to Lisa, we were able to get the ideas and prompts looked at from the 2nd pair of eyes, and as well as giving us the green light to submit two designs.
Gabe Classon
Gabe Classon
William Fremd High School
he/him/his
Student Design: The Cardinal’s Path Flag
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
Of Cook County’s many virtues, I am perhaps most proud of our incredible history of and dedication to progress, which the design evokes with a leading central stripe that suggests upward motion. The prominent multi-faceted charge also has significance in representing the many parts and peoples that make the County whole, which I take to heart as a person with a multicultural background. The design—like the County, each of its residents, and myself—has also taken influences from Chicago, the state of Illinois, and the United States more broadly; it’s no coincidence that it incorporates our County seat’s star, our state’s bird, and our nation’s colors.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I’ve been interested in vexillology and local governance for a long time. When I saw an announcement for the Flag 2021 competition in Palatine High School’s Cutlass, I knew that I had to shoot my shot.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
The incredible story of Daniel Pope Cook, our County’s namesake, who was influential in the statehood and anti-slavery movements in Illinois.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
Cyrill and I came into this project with different ideas of where we wanted to go with it. Over the course of several weeks, we worked together to come to an understanding of what we each —with our different backgrounds and perspectives—felt was most representative of Cook County and how we could incorporate those ideas into a cohesive, beautiful, and meaningful symbol. Lisa was instrumental in facilitating those conversations and guiding us toward our goal. In the end, I think we created something great together and couldn’t be prouder of our work.
Maeve Clifford
Maeve Clifford
she/her/hers
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flag to me represents my love for the state of Illinois. It shows how I think we can better the state by being more environmentally conscious and being more friendly to others that live in this state too.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
My high school teacher showed us the contest and gave us the assignment of creating the new Cook County Flag. I was really excited when she told us about this contest because I thought it would be such a fun experience to be apart of no matter if my flag was chosen or not.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
What surprised me was how many districts there actually are in Cook County.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
My flag mentor was Jonathan Meitus and my partner was Noami Balderas. Noami and I would FaceTime a day or two before our Zoom call with Jonathan to put out ideas to help combine our two flags together. Each week we would go on a Zoom call and throughout ideas to make the flag the best it can be. I really enjoyed my time working with Jonathan and Noami and could not have asked for a better group.
Simon Koziol
Simon Koziol
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
My flag symbolizes two important traits/values, that is, 1. Perseverance and 2. Understanding. Through these two traits this flag represents me as I persevere through life’s many challenges, and also try to understand different aspects of life and the people who exist in it. In that way my flag embodies my philosophy, my soul, and my creativity as a human being.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
Through the centuries, people have united under flags or symbols to face the challenges of the day. My hope is that this flag would be able to heal the wounds of our society and bring people together under one goal; Prosperity for all.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
An observation that I made throughout the journey of creating this flag is seeing how important and expansive the roles that Cook County fulfils, so that the average citizen would be able to thrive.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s). (3-5 sentences)
I remember a particular moment in which my mentor Mr. McNamara, recommended switching my original flags six-pointed star to a seven pointed star. The reason was to show familiarity with the Chicago City flag, yet staying original. In that particular moment a lightbulb when off in which the many ideas for the flag came and allowed me and my mentor to create the flag you are currently looking at right now. Something familiar, but also something original.
Ilyas Munzir
Ilyas Munzir
he/him/his
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
When I look at the flag, I see distinct elements that come together to form a whole. Much of who I am is reflective of the different cultures and ideas I have been exposed to growing up. I believe the diversity of cultures I have experienced has improved me just like it improves this flag.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
Local government can sometimes be daunting, especially for young students. This competition seemed like an avenue of civic engagement that was more relatable to what I enjoy.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I had never explored the history and tradition of the county and I was surprised by how extensive all of it was.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s). (3-5 sentences)
I got to work with Steve Batterson on designing the flag. We attempted to focus on the story behind the design as much as the design itself. I enjoyed unearthing some of the reasoning behind elements of the flag and diving into what story a flag could tell. We landed on a flag design that I think encapsulates a great narrative that represents our county.
Kyle Trzaskus
Kyle Trzaskus
he/him/his
1. How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
The flag represents how the people of Cook County can stay connected under a flag no matter the distance between them. I love how the flag has more flair than most flags.
2. Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
I was in my graphic design class at ETHS and one of the assignments was to make an entry to this competition. It started as a fun project but has turned into an amazing experience.
3. What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
One thing I learned about Cook County is that it has the biggest forest preserve in all of Illinois.
4. Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
The whole process of going over my flag design with my mentor, Heather Anderson, was a very fun and educational experience. I’ve learned a lot about what colors look good together and the overall design of the artwork. She helped me make all of the flag’s pieces have the same length. My submission started as an inconsistent sketch brought to life by my Adobe inventor, to a flag that I am proud of.
Alex Tomy
Alex Tomy
Maine East High School
he/him/his
Student Design: The Harmony Flag
- How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about? (2-3 sentences)
As a whole, the flag is representative of Cook County, the place I’ve lived for the past 15 years of my life. Individually, each part of the flag represents some important part of Cook County; whether it be the blue representative of the police force, Lake Michigan, and sky or the white representing the snow and rivers of Cook County. One element in particular that I really like is the star in the middle, a homage to the iconic star on the Chicago flag. - Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition? (2 sentences)|
A teacher that taught my friends (Om and Jaylen) posted about this competition, and they in turn let me know about it. As someone who has long been interested in graphic design, I was excited to hear about such a unique and rare opportunity so I drafted and submitted a design. - What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you? (1 sentence)
Reading the “Cook County By The Numbers” page helped me learn a lot of surprising facts about Cook County. For example, I was surprised to learn that 1.5 million people received care at Cook County hospitals and there are 9 total regions of the Cook County Forest Preserves. - Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s). (3-5 sentences)
Working with my mentor, Denny, was very fun and insightful. His feedback improved by design a great deal from what I started with. In one meeting, we were going over alternate colors and I was blown away with how much better the flag looked after a color change suggestion from Denny. Overall, it was a great experience and I hope to maintain a connection with him even after this competition.