The Illinois Flag Commission has announced its top ten finalists for the state flag redesign, and among them are two talented students from Fairfield Community High School: Spresalynn Tipps and Johna Kinney. Their design, number 4321, was created as part of an assignment in their Introduction to Social Studies class.
The flag prominently features the Monarch butterfly, Illinois’s state butterfly, along with 21 stars symbolizing Illinois’s status as the 21st state, with the largest star representing Illinois itself. The use of orange signifies success, determination, and creativity, while blue embodies trust, loyalty, sincerity, and strength.
Starting in January, the public will have the opportunity to vote online at ilsos.gov/stateflag for one of the ten new designs or choose from three previous flags: the current state flag, the 1918 Centennial Flag, or the 1968 Sesquicentennial Flag.
“I am grateful for the creativity and passion displayed in nearly 5,000 entries we received,” stated Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, whose office organized the Flag Commission meetings.
Following a period for public feedback, the commission will present its findings to the Illinois General Assembly by April 1st, where lawmakers will decide whether to adopt a new flag, revert to an earlier version, or keep the existing flag.
It’s worth noting that the state flag has not undergone a significant redesign since 1915.
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