Changes to Guilford HS nickname, logo from Indians to Grizzlies currently in the works
GUILFORD, Conn. — Guilford High School (GHS) is adopting a new mascot for their sports teams after an effort to navigate away from the Indians moniker. There will be changes made to the athletic department as they change their name to the Grizzlies since the Indians logo can currently be seen plastered on the gym floor, the outdoor announcers building and the lacrosse field.
But GHS is familiar with changes to logos and what that comes with. In 2015, the school approached Ink&Pixel Agency to create the brand for their newly constructed high school. The agency redesigned the letter ‘G’ with feathers used by the local Menunkatuck tribe after GHS asked for a logo that would compliment their Indians mascot.
Now that same agency was asked this week to redesign the logo once again for all applications and installations, including for a new gym floor, sports apparel and spirit wear, but this time for something that would complement their new Grizzlies mascot.
“Sports branding and merchandising is an incredibly important component to a school,” said Noemi Kearns, Principal & Creative Director at Ink&Pixel Agency. “Not only is there an opportunity to raise money, but there is also a lot of school pride within our community.”
It was only five years ago when the Indians rebranding made its debut. Kearns said that she and her team worked with GHS to create the logo in relation to the Indians mascot. The agency utilized the original positioning of the Indian feathers that were on the historical insignia of a Native American man and woman with the school name and its establishment.
But now Guilford is ready for change. Kearns said that she was thrilled to be approached to work with the Superintendent of Schools, Athletic Director, Principal, and the Communications Coordinator once again to create the new school logo and mascot for the Guilford High School Grizzlies.
“We do a great deal of research, concept development, and sketching ideas,” Kearns said. “We look to create the opportunity for the narrative around Guilford’s history while creating a mascot the students and town will be really proud of.”
The town rallying around Guilford will feel proud of the new logo once it is revealed since it was the collective push from members of different teams and the community that started all of this in the first place. That is why the Athletic Director and the Principal decided back in July of this year to have athletes and students participate in the process of selecting the new mascot.
“The search for a new mascot began in July following the June 29, 2020, unanimous decision by the Board of Education (BOE) to discontinue the use of the Indian as our school’s moniker. This decision was made after much input from Native American tribes, experts, community members, and many students (past and present),” according to an excerpt provided by GHS Principal Julia Chaffe.
From there, the inclusive process stretched out until the final decision. Students and athletes narrowed 300 submissions in August down to 14 semifinalists by November. After all votes were counted between current students at Guilford, families and future students from the Baldwin and Adams Middle Schools, the community was presented with five finalists by December.
Connecticut Senator Christine Cohen, a former member of the Guilford school board, tweeted the results on Dec. 9, showing that the Grizzlies had the majority at 6,061 votes out of 26,220 people who voted.
Perhaps to the @CTAudubon’s chagrin 😉, Guilford is now home of the Grizzlies! #Guilford #GoGrizzlies pic.twitter.com/v6brAoLhga
— Christine Cohen (@SenatorCohenCT) December 9, 2020
Principal Chaffe said that GHS is looking to “bring everyone together as a community” with the new mascot and logo that is currently in development.
“Mascots go far beyond the teams and the facilities but to the fans as well,” Kearns said. “We want everyone to want to be a Guilford Grizzly!”
