Niles schools raising funds for new Viking mascot
Published 8:45 am Friday, April 25, 2014
Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT
Students and staff at Niles Community Schools donated $1 in order to wear pajamas to school Thursday. The money will go toward paying for a new mascot to be revealed in the fall. Pictured in back, from left, are: Essence Gray, Dakota Crabtree, Libee Knous, Lauren Lyle and Claire Ziesmer. In front, from left, are: Alyse Hoyt, Elynne Hoyt and Alec Campbell.
Niles Community Schools is about to get a new mascot.
Viktor the Viking, as he will be called, is scheduled to be unveiled for the first time at the first home football game this fall at Niles High School.
Only those who have been in on the process know what he will look like.
“We want it to be a surprise,” said Alyse Hoyt, Niles’ graphic arts teacher and member of the committee tasked with finding a new mascot.
The push to create Viktor began a couple years ago when school staff realized the current mascot costume — now approximately eight years old — had begun to show its age.
“It was time for our Viking mascot to get a makeover,” Hoyt said.
Last year, students and staff were asked to submit new names for the school mascot, which didn’t have a name and was always referred to as “The Viking.”
Names were taken and Viktor, with a “k,” received the most votes. Rejected names included Vinny, Valgard and Ned.
The school then began searching for a company/designer to create the mascot, settling on the same graphic designer that created the Michigan State Sparty, Hoyt said.
Money for the new mascot, Hoyt said, came from donations from community members, Halbritter Funeral Services, the Ballard Parent Teacher Organization and money earned when graphic arts students performed projects for local businesses.
In an effort to generate a little more funding, the district allowed students and staff to wear pajamas Thursday for a $1 donation.
“We wanted to give every student in the district an opportunity to contribute and have ownership of Viktor,” Hoyt said.
The new mascot will conform to the school colors of blue and gold.
Claire Ziesmer, Ballard teacher and member of the mascot committee, said having a new mascot should help generate even more school spirit among students and staff.
“It’s a district-wide culture initiative to bring the schools in the district united as one,” Ziesmer said. “It’s also about boosting pride in Niles.”
Tryouts for students wanting to don the Viktor costume will be held at a date yet to be determined.
Ziesmer said Viktor would be available for all community functions.
