The Jamestown School Board unanimously approved the “big, red cat” as the new Jamestown High School mascot.
The new mascot is a nod to JHS history as the first mascot appeared in 1948 as a red, big cat. The Jamestown Board of Education voted to keep the name, “Red Raiders,” at their July 2021 meeting.
School Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said the process over changing the mascot started over 8 years ago when the Seneca Nation of Indians asked the district to reconsider the imagery being used. He said a committee was formed of students, coaches, teachers, and community members, “And we asked them to engage in the process whereby they learned about the Seneca Nation. They were very open and accepting, invited us to come see their museum and cultural center, and provided us with guided tours which were very helpful and across those conversations the members of the committee said it was time for change.”
Board President Paul Abbott said he was very excited that the mascot change has gone through, especially with this process starting in 2014, “When we did make the decision to finally remove all of the native imagery. And when we did that we knew that some day we would look to do something new for a mascot and you know, honestly, just from a student standpoint I’m excited for our students that we have a new mascot to rally behind and continue on as the Red Raiders just as we always have.”
360 Graphics designed the new JHS mascot with input from the Mascot committee. After the committee endorsed the new mascot, the district had a trademark attorney do a search to make sure that the new logo and mascot was not an infringement on any other existing logos or mascots. The imagery passed this process.
The new mascot imagery can be viewed on the Jamestown Public Schools website at jpsny.org
I graduated in 1964 as a red raider, it’s going to be difficult to get used to a new name. How are you going to sing “On Red Raiders? Good luck with the new name.