News

Shenendehowa Board of Education Officially Approves “Mustangs” as New District Mascot

The Shenendehowa Central School District Board of Education voted at their Sept. 8 meeting to officially adopt “Mustangs” as the district’s new mascot. The vote concludes a multi-year, comprehensive selection process.

Led by Mascot Committee co-chairs Lucas LaBarre, Athletics Director, and Ron Agostinoni, High School Principal, the transition was designed as a multi-phased, community-driven evaluation. The goal was to select a timeless athletic and extracurricular mascot that reflects community values while adhering to state regulations.

“This milestone represents the culmination of exceptional collaboration across our entire school community,” said Superintendent Dr. Cecily Wilson-Turner. “Throughout this transition, our focus remained on creating a process that honored our district’s history while providing a vibrant, enduring symbol for our students’ future and our enduring Commitment to Excellence. The Mustang embodies the strength, pride, and resilience of Shenendehowa, and we are excited to embark on this next chapter together.”

“Adopting the Mustangs as our new mascot marks a historic moment for Shenendehowa, reflecting both the pride of our past and the energy of our future,” said Shenendehowa Board of Education President Naomi Hoffman. “As a Board, our priority throughout this process was ensuring that the voices of our students, staff, and residents were central to the decision. The Mustangs identity gives our community a dynamic symbol of unity, drive, and excellence that will represent Shen students for generations to come.”

The selection process was conducted across four distinct stages:

• Research and Criteria: The committee, comprising students, parents, coaches, academic leaders, administrators, and Board members, established key criteria.
• Initial Outreach and Focus Groups: Synthesizing over 1,000 preliminary survey responses, the committee identified a strong community desire for historical continuity.
• Concept Submissions: Dozens of concept submissions were screened against regulatory and brand criteria. Three finalists were: Mustangs, 146ers and Sentinels.
• Community Feedback: The district deployed a feedback tool to all district adults, employees, and students in grades 6–12. Of the 2,697 total responses, Mustangs received a majority of the votes at 56.3%, followed by Sentinels at 37.3% and 146ers at 6.4%.

The adoption of the Mustangs mascot maintains the district’s core visual identity, including the iconic green and white color palette, official district logos, and the traditional “Shen” script.

“This outcome honors our traditions while charging forward into a new era,” added Athletics Director Lucas LaBarre. “The Mustangs mascot reflects the voice of our students and broader community, offering a strong, unified identity for all Shenendehowa academic and athletic programs moving forward.”