Here are the 10 nicknames that may replace Canton’s longtime “Chiefs” moniker
A block C will serve as the Canton High School logo until a replacement for Chiefs is decided.
The 10 potential replacement nicknames for Canton High School were unveiled Wednesday and, judging by the list, odds favor the new name will begin with a “C” with an animal (real, extinct or mythical) as the mascot.
Among the animal-related finalists are Cardinals, Coyotes, Cobras, Vipers and Cubs.
Phoenix, which is a bird from Greek mythology that rose from the ashes, also made the cut.
Raptors, a vicious dinosaur whose popularity was regenerated by the Jurassic Park films, joins the live — or once-live, but now extinct — selections.
The selections are rounded out by the Cosmos, whose origin means a harmonious universe, and Cyclones.
Student involvement
The list of 10 choices were scaled down from Canton High School student suggestions.
Canton High students were allowed to submit ideas for a new mascot, including “visual representations, explanations, and rationales behind their choices” between Sept. 13-29.
Members of an appointed mascot selection committee (whose names have not been released) reviewed all submissions and created a list of the top 10 ideas.
Ironically, “Chiefs” was one of the most-popular student suggestions, but was not allowed to make the semifinal cut because Plymouth-Canton Schools leadership finds the term disrespectful to Native Americans and can lead to cultural appropriation.
Next step: narrow to 3
The next step in the replacement process includes Canton High School students voting from the 10 choices until Oct. 13, with the top three vote-getters announced Oct. 18
Final voting from the top three will run from Oct. 18-27 with the final recommendation forwarded to the Board of Education for final approval on Nov. 1.
The P-CCS Board of Education voted 6-1 (board member Sheryl Picard cast the lone vote to retain the mascot and logo) on July 12 to retire the Chiefs mascot and arrowhead logo despite results of a survey the board endorsed (with over 6,200 people responding) that confirmed a large majority of members of the Plymouth-Canton community wanted the mascot and logo to stay.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or Ed Wright at edwright@socialhousenews.com
