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Photo courtesy of Ms. Vecsi
Maybe you’ve heard the rumors. Maybe you’ve seen a big blue head poking around our marble halls. Or, even, heard a roar coming from the gym office that sounded a little unusual, even for Mr. Otorola.
Well, get ready for this.
Masterman officially has its own mascot!
The bright blue winged dragon is a gift from the class of 2017, organized by Mrs. Vecsi and Mr. Otorola. The idea arose at a basketball game, where Mrs. Vecsi’s suggestion sparked enthusiasm amongst the handful of seniors present. Previous ideas for the class gift just hadn’t felt right, as Mrs. Vecsi recalls, “a bookshelf just did not seem to resonate with the class and who they were.” A mascot, in comparison, “stands out, like they stood out.” The class of 2017 had made themselves known in the crowd of every assembly, every dodgeball game, and every spirit week event as the ones out of their seats, cheering the loudest. “They were a very spirited class,” Mrs. Vecsi describes, “with a lot of energy, a lot of spunk, a lot of athletes, and, just, a lot of humor.” Mrs. Vecsi believes the mascot will carry on that legacy of spirit and community.
Part of that legacy will be building excitement and representing Masterman at athletic events. The mascot will join Masterman’s Pep Squad in engaging the crowd through dances and cheers. Speaking of Pep Squad, a member of the group joined Mrs. Vecsi, Mr. Otorola, and Mr. O’Neill during the tryout process, held on November 21 and 22. Students from across the high school showed up to try out.. At least one of the mascots must be able to dance and practice with pep squad. Yet, at the end of the day, no experience is needed. In the words of Madison Tyler, one of Pep Squad’s founders, if you “have rhythm, are enthusiastic, and care about it,” you’re fit for the role.
However, the mascot will not just represent our athletes, but the Masterman community as a whole. Mrs. Vecsi wants the mascot to also appear at events like middle school orientation and spirit week, “represent[ing] Masterman and the real spirit of the blue dragons and celebrat[ing] our community.” The mascot is another step in cementing a revitalized school spirit and pride in community at Masterman. Although the name, to be picked by the class of 2017, has not yet been announced, there is still much of the mascot’s identity to be explored. While Masterman has had a mascot before, retired many years ago on account of mold, this new Blue Dragon will be all this generation of students know.
Whoever the first mascot is will have the challenge and honor of establishing the character of the mascot for years to come. The integrity of a mascot comes in the continuity of a persona and the way it interacts with fans. While it may seem daunting, this is exciting. At its core, the purpose of Masterman’s new mascot is to entertain and unify. In Mrs. Vecsi’s words, “it’ll put smiles on peoples faces”— and that’s all that really matters.
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