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East High School announces new “Eagles” mascot

New East Eagles Mascot

East High School will have a new mascot to call its own this fall. The Rochester Board of Education voted 7-0 to adopt a new mascot name for East at its board meeting Thursday evening, June 18, 2015, based on the recommendations from a planning committee of East teachers, administrators, students, and parents.
 
“Eagles” will replace “Orientals,” a team name and mascot that originated in the early 1900s. The term “Orient” derives from the Latin word oriens, meaning “east.”

“Times have changed and the meaning of the word ‘Oriental’ has changed, so this is an opportune time to take a fresh new look at East’s mascot,” said Shaun Nelms, East High School deputy superintendent. “The Eagles mascot will become part of an exciting new era for East as we move toward a new vision for our school and community, and it will play an important role in building and maintaining the same school spirit, unity, and pride that East has exemplified for decades.”

East High Principal Anibal Soler’s leadership was instrumental in the school’s mascot name change. The process of selecting the mascot was designed to be collaborative with input from current and past school leadership, teaching staff, students, parents, and alumni.

The new “Eagles” mascot name will become effective when classes begin in September. A formal unveiling of the new mascot to the East High community will be planned and announced in the future.


East High School EPO Partnership
The University of Rochester, as the Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) for East High School, assumes full management responsibilities for East starting in July 2015. The new East High consists of a lower school (grades 6-9), which includes a 9th-grade academy, and an upper school (grades 10-12), and aims to prepare all students for a successful transition into adulthood. A comprehensive community school with a robust set of services to support its diverse students, East offers a strong academic and career preparation program, including a daily advisory program and a full complement of athletic and extra-curricular activities that support and engage students.