How does a new virtual high school choose their mascot? With a Mascot Madness bracket challenge, of course! The staff and students at St. Josephine Virtual High School went to the polls over two weeks to narrow down the options for the mascot that would best represent the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s first virtual high school.
Mascot Madness at St. Josephine Virtual High School
During the first week of school, students and staff submitted nominations for potential mascots. With a whopping 200 mascot suggestions, they were able to narrow down the field to 32 possible mascots by eliminating options that other high schools in our board already use.
The Mascot Madness bracket challenge mirrored the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament bracket, consisting of the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite 8, Final 4 and the Final. Two mascots went head-to-head in a series of matches every round, with the more popular option advancing to the next round. Students and staff voted every morning during homeroom, with over 500 people voting in each round. The finals saw a record 590 students and staff cast their vote. The fierce and mighty dragon reigned victorious over its opponent in the final, claiming the title as St. Josephine Virtual High School’s official mascot.
Learning opportunities are everywhere for virtual students
The dynamic staff at St. Josephine Virtual High School never cease to leave a learning opportunity unturned! One business class will use the Mascot Madness as an assignment, and students will design potential logos for our school teams.
“The students really loved engaging in playful debate over who their peers should vote for. Teachers were pretty fond of that too,” said Kevin Kelly, the virtual high school educator responsible for this creative initiative.
Principal David Nash added, “I was thrilled with Kevin’s idea and the tremendous amount of student engagement that came with it. This mascot is clearly representative of student voice at St. Josephine.”