The Story Behind kood/Jõhvi’s Unique Name
In Estonia we have a saying that — literally translated — corresponds to “A dear child has many names” (“Heal lapsel mitu nime”). What does it mean? Things can have a variety of different names in different contexts. So is the case with kood/Jõhvi.
When the idea for the school was first publicly announced, we went by the name “Jõhvi tehnoloogiakool” aka Jõhvi Technology School. Something simple, concrete, and straight to the point. But not special enough to showcase the way we get things done.
The ”kood/” brand marked its start
Time went by and with the launch of applications in the Spring of 2021, the school took on a whole new image: kood/Jõhvi. There were other options (e.g. Login, Sprint, Fastforward) but after 2 workshops with the founders of the school, they reached an agreement. They chose “kood/” due to its unique and abstract nature, its association with coding, and its Northern vibe.
The branding of the school also includes a black-and-white color scheme, which was inspired by the laconic nature of the command terminal. The color scheme is designed to focus on the clarity and simplicity of data. However, it also includes a bright yellow accent color, chartreuse yellow, which is associated with enthusiasm, youth and imagination.
kood/Jõh..wait, maybe Jõhvi IT-sch…
Some news outlets, people, and even our students can’t seem to get our name right. They call us kood jõhvi, Jõhvi Coding School, Kood at Jõhvi, code Jõhvi, and Jõhvi kood. Or even longer and descriptive names such as “technology school in Jõhvi” or “Jõhvi IT school”.
Also, let’s not forget about our Estonian counterparts, who call us Jõhvi it kool, Jõhvi koodikool, Jõhvi IT kolledz, and Jõhvi programmeerimiskool. It’s like they took our name, put it in a blender, and hit puree! But no matter what they call us, we’ll always be kood/Jõhvi.
Despite the many different versions of our name floating around, we’re just happy that people are talking about us and showing interest in what we’re doing.
We know that kood/Jõhvi is a unique and abstract name, and we understand that it may take some getting used to. But at the end of the day, we’re excited that people are taking notice of our mission to shake up the education landscape and train future-proof talents in Estonia. So, whether you call us kood jõhvi, Jõhvi Coding School, or Jõhvi IT kolledz, just know that we’re here and we’re ready to change the game!
So why keep kood/Jõhvi as the name of the school?
The school’s name, kood/Jõhvi, is a reflection of the unique and innovative approach that the school takes towards education. The name may be hard to pronounce or spell for some, but that’s okay. As the Estonian saying goes, “A dear child has many names.”
The school’s name and branding, like the school itself, are designed to be dynamic and to stand out from the traditional way of life. The school’s approach is experimental and it aims to differentiate itself from others through active cooperation with our 30+ partners. We are trailblazers in shaking up the education landscape, and no matter what you call us, we’re excited to be making a difference.