Joshua Christian Academy (JCA) is a faith-based school with three locations across Des Moines, Iowa, serving students in grades 5–12. With a growing athletics program spanning middle and high school, JCA needed a unified brand identity that students, families, and the broader community could rally behind, one that felt professional, bold, and reflective of the school's Christian values.

Challenge / Approach

JCA lacked a cohesive athletics identity that could compete visually with neighboring schools while authentically representing its faith, character, and community. The new Jaguar identity needed to resonate with middle and high school students and their families without feeling childish or dated, while communicating the school's core values of faith, excellence, community, and character. It also needed to function seamlessly across uniforms, apparel, equipment, digital platforms, and school branding, with a look and feel closer to a collegiate or professional sports brand than a typical school mascot.

Solution / Outcome

Working closely with Joseph Jackson, Head of Schools, the process was defined by clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared vision for what the Jaguar identity could become. A thorough discovery process and strategic foundation were instrumental in aligning both sides early, ensuring every design decision that followed was purposeful and rooted in the school's values and goals.

A comprehensive Jaguar Athletic Identity System was developed, built around a fierce yet proud jaguar that embodies JCA's spirit on and off the field. Every element of the identity carries intentional meaning rooted in the school's faith and Iowa roots, from the integrated state of Iowa in the jaguar's spots, to the cross embedded in the nose, symbolizing the school's commitment to leading with faith.

The color palette was refined around Pantone 199 C, a shade chosen to honor the school's existing brand equity while introducing a brighter, more energetic tone that resonates with students. A custom display font was developed to give JCA a more complete and robust identity system, featuring details that compliments the jaguar marks. Custom numerals were also included to give uniforms an additional layer of personalization.

The full identity system includes a primary logo lockup, full body and head marks, a custom wordmark, updated color palette, custom display font, sport-specific wordmarks, paw mark variations, and a jaguar pattern, all designed to work in one, two, and three-color applications across every touchpoint.