New Street Pole Banners Picked for Sunset and Vine

Expect to see four new banner designs in and around the intersection of Sunset and Vine in the coming weeks.

Banners will feature the art of seven Helen Bernstein High School students following a challenge to the teens by the Sunset & Vine Business Improvement District (BID).

More than 60 students collaborated to create 35 entries, which were whittled down to seven by the community and BID board members. Ultimately four designs were chosen.

“We thought why hire a graphic designer when we have all of these talented students that can create something that will really represent the Sunset & Vine District,” said Devin Tait Strecker, manager of communications and social media for BID. “Also, it gives them a chance to see real world applications to their education, which is so important.”

Art instructor Justice O’Neil coordinated the project for students in the art department as part of a class assignment and contest.

The assignment was broken down into smaller lessons on lettering, coloring, and design before the large, final designs was completed.

Then it came time to put the works of art to a vote. The designs were posted under the Sunset & Vine District Banner Design contest on Hollywood HQ where the . Two of the designs were selected based on popular vote and then the board of directors of the Central Hollywood Coalition, the governing body of the Sunset & Vine BID, selected additional winners.

The seven students whose works of art were selected were Sarah Aguilar, Juan Angeles, Kimberly Guevara, Jasmin Hernandez, Elvis Lopez, George Mercado and Dallana Velasquez.

“We were completely impressed by the designs the students came up with, they’re just great,” Stecker said.

Strecker said currently, the winning designs are in the process of being fabricated into 150 street pole banners that will be installed throughout the district. Banners will be placed near iconic landmarks like the Cinerama Dome, Sunset & Vine Tower, Sunset Gower Studios, The Los Angeles Film School, and the former Tribune Studios.

The students' work was honored during the Sunset & Dine event on June 7 hosted by BID, which showcased the seven designs.

Strecker said that BID hopes to continue working with Helen Bernstein high school students in the future.

"We’re so excited to share their work with the community and we hope to do something like this in the future,” Strecker said.

More information on the BID is available at www.sunsetandvinebid.org.