WATERVILLE, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – There was more than a budget and buses being voted on in Waterville on Tuesday, May 16; there was also the matter of a new mascot for the school district.
Voters, both online and in-person, had four candidates to choose from: Huskies, Wildcats, Eagles, and Wolves. 249 of them – over a third of the total vote – voted to become the Waterville Eagles.
The school was required to come up with a new mascot to replace their old one of “the indians” after the New York State Education Department mandated that all Native American nicknames and mascots be phased out over the next two school years.
Waterville is one of nine area schools that must change their name according to the new rules.
“We are grateful to the entire Waterville school community for supporting the transition to a new mascot,” Waterville Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Spring said in a statement. “We thank everyone for providing input throughout this process, and we look forward to the next chapter in the history of the Waterville Central School District.”
The change is expected to cost the district approximately $35,000 to change the name. According to the district’s website, the state will not be providing any funding for the transition.
The next step in the process for the district is for the mascot selection committee – made up of community members, students, and staff – to create a new logo for the school incorporating the new mascot.
In regards to when the new change will go into effect, Waterville School District said, “there is no exact timeline at the moment, but the changes must be completed by the end of the 2024-25 school year.”
An exact date of the logo reveal has yet to be determined.
