Elizabeth Wentling, center, a junior at Allegheny-Clarion Valley High, kneels near the logo she designed for the school's new gymnasium floor. Surrounding Wentling during the gyms' dedication Thursday are the varsity cheerleaders, from bottom left clockwise: Kaylin Strauser, Abby Hindman, Jacqueline Hetzler, Sara McCord, Aubrey Hetzler, Alecia Suto, Allice Courson, Melinda Reiser, Cori Anderson, Janice Courson, Shawnee Fair, Samantha Wolfe, Lauren Snyder and Marlee Shook.

FOXBURG — Many students attempt to leave their mark at their high school.

Elizabeth Wentling has done it in a big way

A 17-year-old junior at Allegheny-Clarion Valley High, Wentling designed the logo that appears at midcourt on the building's renovated gym floor.

The design, which consists of an interlocking and diagonal "ACV" in the school colors of royal blue and white, was chosen over 12 other entries from the student body.

The school district held a ceremony Thursday night to dedicate the new gym.

"I was really honored they chose my design," said Wentling, who lives in Emlenton. "After they told me, it really hit me. It will be like having a part of me there year after year, long after I graduate."

Last spring, the high school announced that design entries would be taken from the student body.

"I was all over it right away," said Wentling, who competes on the girls track and field team and girls golf squad. "It's a passion of mine to make a difference at school. I try to be involved as much as I can."

Wentling first came up with several rough drafts before settling on the school's initials.

The school administration then informed Wentling that it had chosen her design and, after a few alterations, had the finished product.

The other 12 entries included a variety of designs.

"All the designs were done in our school colors," said A-C Valley superintendent Brenda Brinker. "Some included our mascot, a falcon, but we knew that the renovated gym would have a large falcon on the wall. We felt Elizabeth's design complemented that well."

The gym's facelift began last summer and wasn't finished until recently.

The new look also includes royal blue bleachers, two scoreboards and a new scorer's table. The renovations cost about $900,000.

"This is the first time the gym has had a total renovation since the mid-1960s," said Brinker. "In the winter of 2006-07, the heating units in the gym had leaked water onto the old floor and that caused some damage. And it had gotten to a point where the floor could not be sanded down any further."

A-C Valley's boys basketball team will play the first varsity game in the refurbished gym Tuesday against Cranberry.

But for years to come, opening tip-offs will occur above Wentling's design.

"It was nice of the school to give the students the opportunity to be part of this," said Wentling.

"Here at A-C Valley, we like to center things around the students," said Brinker. "This is a source of pride within the student body and for the entire school."