Sexton Rebranding
The Lansing School District received an $87,500 grant from the Native American Heritage Fund to rebrand the J.W. mascot.
At the start of the 2022-23 school year, the current students and staff had input on the first round of mascot names.
A community input session was held on 9.28.22 at Sexton High School with the student's top 6. Two additional names were added after community input.
After the Community input session, a survey was sent out to all students, families, staff, and alumni on 10.18.22, closing on 10.24.22
Results were:
- J Dubbs 576
- Big Dawgs 228
- Cardinals 227
- Scarlet Knights 122
- Scorpions 57
- Vipers 56
- Transformers 19
Current Sexton students and staff received the survey results of the top five and, via vote that ran from 10.28 – 11.4. They voted to determine the most popular name, 1 being the most popular and 5 being the least favorite.
That list of names/rankings was emailed to the district's executive team at the completion of the ranking process on 11.4. See below for results:
- J Dubbs 96 - 29.7%
- Scorpions 76 - 23.5%
- Cardinals 61 - 18.9%
- Big Dawgs 53 - 16.4%
- Scarlet Knights* 37 - 8.7%
*Scarlet Knights was removed, as the Native American Community has voiced concern over the continuation of the color red being referred in the name, in this case by using the word, Scarlet.
At the 11.10.22 ISS meeting, the Board of Education approved using Scorpions as the mascot, but after further community input, the Board then tabled the name at the 11.17 meeting. At the 12.1 Board of Education meeting, the Board approved J-Dubbs as the official mascot name.
Process for the Mascot Design
A survey was released to all students, staff, and alums of J.W. Sexton to see what a J-Dubb meant to them, and they could submit rough drawings.
The survey information was presented to a committee of current students. This committee narrowed down the submitted designs to their top three students and their top two alum designs. They presented these to the Mascot steering committee.
A final survey was sent to all students who choose what a J-Dubb is.
Principal Boggan and the communications director will present the top students' choice for what a J-dubb is to the Board of Education on 3.16.23 with three designs.
Click here for the PowerPoint presentation.
The Students will have one final survey to pick from the three designs, and the winner will be the final mascot design.
The final mascot design was revealed on 5.2.23 at a Sexton pep rally.
New design and full implementation by the 2023-24 school year.
Mascot Design Timeline updated on 7.31.23
Other important Dates/Info
A Native American Culture Day was held at Sexton on 5.12.23.
A Land Grant acknowledgment budget will be submitted as part of the 2023 NAHF grant proposal.
Mascot Copyright Information
Those submitting designs understand they are giving up ownership of final design to the Lansing School District.
On 11.11.22, Anthony Jerome Stone Jr., MA, from the University of Cincinnati spoke to students in an assembly at the J.W. Sexton auditorium about the importance of the mascot change. He will also speak to the staff during their upcoming professional development.