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East High School To Change Its Sports Mascot Name

East High School is getting rid of its current mascot name and coming up with another to reflect the changing times.

The sports teams at East have been called “Orientals”  for many  years, a team name and mascot that originated in the early 1900s. The term ‘orient’ was used because it derived from the Latin word for “east.”

But East High’s Deputy Supt., Shaun Nelms says that “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.” Now, the East High sports teams will be known as the “Eagles.”

The process to select 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.

Principal Anibal Soler says the school has been using an eagle logo for several years, so it should be a smooth transition to a new name.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.