Logo for an Alternative school for at-risk youth

Kensho is a non-profit educational community that is looking to develop an identity. At this point we are interested in a logo with the goal of creating a webpage, recruiting documents, manuals and apparel. This is an opportunity for a long-term relationship for the right designer.

Kensho Community: International Centre for Alternative Learning

Kensho is an educational community dedicated to providing young people with an alternative education based on the principles of sustainability, collective social responsibility and academic excellence.

At Kensho we provide the freedom and support our scholars need to pursue their interests. We value the thoughtful education of our scholars as the highest priority. We believe in engaging students in a pedagogical model that encourages their individual growth as well as a positive impact on the global community.

Kensho is a community of innovators in the pursuit of effectively addressing social challenges.  Our commitment to generating solutions for systemic change is expressed through our educational design whose primary consideration is to develop creative, flexible and inquiring minds.

We are open to all design possibilities. Please keep in mind that our school is geared toward high school aged students with a history of at-risk behavior. We are looking for a logo that appeals to them but also to parents and donors.

The meaning of Kensho: A term for awakening (bodhi), defined as seeing oneself for what one really is: impermanent, ever-changing, and one with the truth that underlies all of reality.
Kensho , literally "seeing the nature" in Japanese, is the experience of enlightenment described in the context of Zen Buddhism. The term is often used to denote an initial awakening experience, seeing one's Buddha nature, that can be enlarged and clarified through further practice in daily life.

We want this to come across....but not in a sappy way.

Anything that looks to mechanical. Let's try to avoid stars for now.