Paw Paw School District Announces New Mascot

After votes by students, staff, and community members, Paw Paw Public Schools has selected a new mascot.

The district's previous Redskins mascot had been a much-debated issue for years.

Wood TV 8 reports that at a school board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Rick Reo announced the new mascot: The Paw Paw Red Wolves.

According to to a release, the new mascot will be officially presented by student members of the Nickname Task Force to the Board of Education for adoption at the July 13 board meeting, along with recommendations of images to be adopted that have been developed by a local designer.

The school says they received more than 700 submissions for new mascot ideas. 

Paw Paw is the only school district in the state of Michigan with the Red Wolves nickname.

In regard to the process of selecting a new name, Reo said in a previous release:

The process leading to the adoption of a new nickname and imagery is being led by the Paw Paw Nickname Task Force consisting of 27 students in grades 5 through 11. This group of students has devoted a huge amount of time to working on this project over the past two months. Paw Paw’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Corey Harbaugh, is the Paw Paw staff member assigned to supervising the Task Force.

When the Task Force members began meeting in March, one of the first things they agreed upon is that they did not want to adopt a new nickname and logo that would once again bring negative attention to Paw Paw and our school because of some type of associated controversy. As one student stated (paraphrased) “I just want to go out, have fun, compete in our games and cheer on our teams without worrying about protesters or arguments about our mascot.”

With this in mind, the Task Force developed and agreed upon the following essential criteria in order to assure that our chosen nickname and imagery is Respectful and Serious:

1. Inclusive

2. Non-Controversial

3. Prideful (Instills Pride)

4. Unique to Paw Paw

5. Showcases School Spirit