Western New York High School Narrows Down New Mascot To Final 5

It's been a long road for students and officials associated with the Iroquois Central School District, but it seems they are nearing the end of the road in searching for a new mascot name and likeness.

The last few months have been busy for officials as they have sorted through dozens of options for a new mascot in order to find a replacement since they are no longer allowed to use their previous mascot name, Chiefs.

They originally started with more than 300 suggestions, which they narrowed down to 25, and now, after several weeks of voting, we've reached the final five options.

Thank you to our wonderful community for your help in transitioning to a new tradition at Iroquois!
-Douglas Scofield, Superintendent of the Iroquois Central School District

Why Did Iroquois High School Have To Change It's Mascot

Earlier in 2022, the New York State Board of Regents, the educational governing body in the Empire State, voted to change the rules that deal with what a school can name itself, along with any associated auxiliaries, sports teams, etc.

In that rule change, they determined that the use Indigenous team names, mascots, and logos by schools in New York State was no longer allowed. Any schools that used any sort of Native American names or imagery had to either change their name or get permission from a Native American Nation.

What Are The Final Choices For Iroquois Central?

After receiving more than 3,000 votes, along with some planning, officials at the Iroquois Central School District have narrowed things down to the final five:

Inferno
Iron Horses
Otters
Red Hawks
Wolves

Voting for the final five starts on Monday, December 18, 2023, and is set to run until Friday, January 5, 2024. According to officials, votes will be able to be cast online, and people are limited to one vote per person.

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Amazing!

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